


Surprises, Lies, and Amnesia

by Hathor_girl



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Tok'ra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-06
Updated: 2015-05-06
Packaged: 2018-03-29 07:45:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 23,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3888073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hathor_girl/pseuds/Hathor_girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Goa'uld gets loose at the SGC, taking a visiting film crew hostage. This is just the beginning to some very surprising developments. The SGC soon finds that some of their allies have lied to them, or didn't they know either? SML</p><p>Attempted to import this from where I posted it on Symbiotica (http://tokra.fandomnet.com), so if anything looks weird or is missing, that is why!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Goa'uld on the loose!

**Author's Note:**

> This will be my first attempt at writing Jonas! OMG hold me! 
> 
> Season: maybe early sixth season. Before Frozen so Jack is on it and hasn't been host to Kanan yet, but after Redemption I and II, so Jonas is on SG-1. So SG-1 is Jack, Jonas, Sam, Teal'c.
> 
> Answer to this challenge from the Tokra-resistance mailinglist:
> 
> What it Martouf/Lantash get stranded on Earth and Martouf suffers Amnesia, he becomes JR Bourne the actor unaware of the 'guest' inside his head. Perhaps there is something preventing Lantash communicating with Martouf/ JR Bourne.

 Bold is symbiote speaking with symbiote voice

~ is internal speech 

* * *

"Okay, you're dismissed." Hammond said, getting up.

SG-1 had just finished their debriefing, after having been on a mission where they had captured the Goa'uld Hermes, and was about to leave, when there was a frantic knocking on the door, and it opened before Hammond had time to say anything.

"Sorry, sir." Harriman said, looking disturbed. "Hermes has escaped! He had hidden some sort of weapon that stunned all the guards, and disabled the holding cell!"

Hammond looked stunned. "How could that happen!" He demanded, turning to SG-1. "You stay here while we here what happened."

"Um, that's not all." Harriman looked uncomfortable. "Hermes happened to run into the cast and crew from that TV show - you know they're here filming some and for getting a feel of the atmosphere of an institution like this."

"What TV show?" Jack asked. "You let civilians in here? They don't have clearance, do they?"

"Wormhole X-Treme." Hammond sighed. "I forgot about that, but they weren't supposed to see any sensitive areas. They're just in the upper levels. They don't have clearance, as you say."

"Well, Hermes took them all hostage when he couldn't get to the Stargate or leave the compound - and he demands to be allowed to leave through the Stargate, or he'll kill all the hostages." Harriman explained. "He has rendered several of our guards unconscious on his way there, but some of them managed to close of the way out for him before he could stun them all, so he is trapped."

"SG-1, take SG-2 and SG-3 and see if you can take him out. We can't let him harm the civilians, but he's NOT going through the gate. Harriman, get Doctor Fraiser to check out those affected by Hermes's knew weapon. How are they doing? Are there anything we can do that neutralize the effect."

"Doctor Fraiser already has a team there." Harriman reported.

"Then we wait for her evaluation." Hammond decided.

* * *

It was not long after when Janet went to report to Hammond.

"Sir, the guards are all still unconscious. They don't seem to be in danger, but they almost appear as when someone has been zatted, just a much more long-lasting effect."

"So you think they'll recover?" Hammond asked.

"Yes, that is my opinion. I would like to go and keep an eye on them, though."

Hammond nodded. "Of course - one thing, do you think we can neutralize the effect somehow?"

"I don't see how, anymore than you can neutralize a zat."

"I agree. If the weapon works even remotely the same way as a zat, then we have nothing that can neutralize it." Sam added in her opinion.

"Okay. Doctor Fraiser, you can return to the infirmary - keep me updated on the status of the affected personnel. Colonel O'Neill, take your team and go get this Goa'uld!"

"Yes, sir, with pleasure!"

"Be careful."

"Always, sir!"

* * *

They passed several unconscious guards, and got to the room the Goa'uld was currently holed up in. Several guards were standing outside.

"The snakehead is still in there?" Jack asked.

"Yes, sir. He's firing at us if we try opening the door. The weapon...it's terrifying." The young soldier said, indicating the many unconscious people around them.

"Understood. What about the hostages?"

"26 civilians - all from the set of 'Wormhole X-Treme'. There's also Captain Jeffers and Major Simon who were showing them around. As near as we can tell, they're all okay."

Jack nodded. "Good."

"Have you seen how it works?" Sam asked. "The weapon I mean."

"Yes, it looks like fire coming out of it! He can fire a wide beam or a narrow one, taking out many or few. The beam crackles and glows either blue or yellow."

"Does it make any difference with the colour?"

"Yes, the yellow light only gives pain, but doesn't knock you out. The blue seems to be intensely painful too, and people sort of convulses, but then they pass out - and none of those have woken up again!" The soldier looked sick.

"Don't worry, Doc Fraiser thinks they'll be just fine." Jack assured them. "Carter, did that stuff give you any new info that we can use?"

Sam thought it over. "Maybe, the blue light sounds much like what comes out of a zat, and the yellow light maybe as the painsticks, so my guess is that it's simply a super powerful zat combined with a painstick - and with some sort of switch so you can chose which to use."

"Wonderful!" Jack grimassed. "Just what I always wanted - combine a zat with my favourite the painstick! Damn!"

They had not waited long when they heard yelling and screaming from inside, and then the super-zat fired with a loud crackling noise. It fired again, and the door was ripped open seconds later. Hermes stood in the door, looking furious, pointing at them with the weapon.

**"Traitorous human scum! You are trying to trick me! You will cease immediately or I will kill all the hostages! Let me go through the chaapa'ai and I will agree not to hit you all with the punishment you all deserve! You have 10 minutes to decide!"**

He fired one yellow beam at the nearest soldier, who fell to the floor, then slammed the door again and locked it.

The soldier was still convulsing in pain, but was conscious, and Jonas went to check on him. "Are you all right?"

Slowly, the pain seemed to subside and the soldier looked tired at them. "Yes, I'm getting there at least."

Jack nodded to the man. "Go to the infirmary and get checked out." He nodded at one of the other soldiers. "Go with him, make sure he gets there all right. If the Doc has any new info, then return with that." He looked at the rest of SG-1. "I'll go call Hammond and tell him of the Goa'uld's demands."

* * *

"We're not letting him through the gate - he knows too much about our systems, so it would be much too dangerous." Jack reported back.

"Well, what are we doing then? We can't just let him kill all those hostages, can we?" Jonas exclaimed looking shocked.

"Sometimes one must make unpleasant decisions and sacrifice a few to achieve a worthy goal." Teal'c told him.

"Yeah, true, Teal'c, but we're not there yet. We're gonna try and take out the Goa'uld. Tear gas will only minimally affect the Goa'uld, so that's no idea. We're going to release smoke in the room instead, and hope we can get him in the confusion. Anything else will hit the humans more than the Goa'uld." Jack looked very unhappy.

"Okay, when will the smoke be released?" Sam asked.

Jack looked at his clock. "In two minutes."

"That's cutting it awfully close." Sam frowned. "That's about the time he's going to kill all the hostages."

"They're working as fast as they can. We'll succeed." Jack said, wanting to believe it.

* * *

Just as the time was running out, they heard an angry scream from in there, as the Goa'uld discovered the smoke coming through the ventilation vents.

Jack carefully, but quickly opened the door, not wanting to give the Goa'uld time to start killing anyone out of spite, when thinking he was being betrayed. Which he was, of course.

Teal'c spotted the Goa'uld and fired his zat, hitting the Goa'uld and making him stumble, and almost fall. A shot more with a zat felled the Goa'uld, killing him.

They rushed in and to Hermes, checking that he was indeed dead, and Sam grabbed the weapon. When they were sure all was safe, they radioed in to air out the smoke.

The hostages were all terrified, and many of them were supine on the floor, clearly rendered unconscious by being shot by the super-zat.

"I really look forward to examining this baby!" Sam said, her eyed gleaming as she looked at the weapon.

"Just be carefully who you point that thing at!" Jack complained, as he returned after reporting that the room was safe. "Medical personnel is on the way."

 

 

  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

This story archived at <http://tokra.fandomnet.com/viewstory.php?sid=426>


	2. A Goa'uld on the loose!

**Earlier that day**

Nick Marlowe - known as the intrepid, fearless Colonel Danning on the TV show Wormhole X-Treme, was cowering behind a table, beside Yolanda Reese, which fans of the show would recognize as Major Stacy Monroe.

"How in the hell did this happen?" Nick hissed in a low voice. "We'd just gotten into the mess hall here, and we haven't even got any food yet! Who is that insane madman?"

"How should I know?" Yolanda spat back, her heart beating rapidly with fear. "Why did I ever agree to this?"

"A military institution would seem like a safe place, though, wouldn't it?" Raymond Gunne - the actor who played Dr. Levant on Wormhole X-Treme, said, crawling over beside the others.

"Lots of guards, sure, but lots of crazy nuts too, I'd think - and looks like one of them freaked! I hate the air force!" Nick exclaimed, his voice just a bit too loud. "Why aren't they watching out for us?"

Hermes flashed his eyes and looked towards the humans hiding behind the tipped over table. " **Shut up, miserable slaves! Perhaps you'd like to feel the holy fire?** " Hermes fired up his weapon and sent out a yellow bolt that hit Nick squarely on the shoulder.

Nick screamed out in pain and started convulsing on the floor, as if he had an epileptic episode. Yolanda began to cry and Raymond began to hyper-ventilate.

Most of the people gasped in fear, and some started crying.

"No, no, no, no..." Raymond repeated as he began rocking back and forth.

"Quiet, idiot!" Douglas Anders hissed at him, wriggling closer and doing his best to stay as close to the floor as possible while doing so. He was known as Grell the robot on Wormhole X-Treme, and he was more than a bit too big to be inconspicuous.

"I agree, we should not further call the attention of the angry individual." JR Bourne said, joining the others behind the big table. He was a newcomer in the group, and had only been in a few episodes of Wormhole X-Treme. His character was called Cartof, and he was supposedly an alien resistance fighter.

"How did he even hear us?" Yolanda whispered, when Nick had stopped spasming and Hermes had moved his attention elsewhere. "He's across the room - like maybe 50 feet away!"

"Yeah, and what's with his voice?" Raymond grumbled in a low voice.

They all fell quiet, with the exception of the occasional whimper of fear from someone. Around the room, other people where cowering, trying to avoid calling attention to themselves.

* * *

JR Bourne tried to clear his mind. Ever since they had come to this place, he had felt weird - almost as if something was prickling or humming in his blood. To be honest, he thought it may have started a little while ago, as they approached the place, but he did not become truly aware of it until he had been here some time. Strange.

That wasn't the only thing that was strange. He recognized this place - or at least a similar place? And he recognized the weird tingling feeling in his blood, as if it was quite normal, and something he had sensed before. Almost as if it was...familiar?

He shook his head. This was crazy! Did it have anything to do with those weird dreams he had started to have now and then? Those where people with glowing eyes tortured him with strange devices? Other people with some kind of armor, and retractable helmets...and then there was the blue tunnels. Those he dreamt of often. Another frequent dream was about a beautiful woman, with blue eyes and blond hair. Her appearance changed sometimes, and her her would become short. Was she one or two people - or three?

The blue tunnels usually held people in his dreams, usually in tan uniforms of some kind. Sometimes those people would have glowing eyes also, but these people seemed kind. Perhaps he was going crazy.

Except, now there was a man in the room who had those exact type of glowing eyes! And the distorted voice seemed right somehow. He knew the man was evil, but he was not afraid of him. Not like the others were - he knew this was not a strange demon, nor was it just a human with some tricks up his sleave.

The word 'Goa'uld' came to him when he looked at him. It didn't mean anything to him, but he knew that was what that man was.

Again he felt that weird sensation in the back of his head and neck, as if something...moved? That sensation of an almost-presence of...someone?

He decided to push off the thoughts of his perhaps-craziness and focus on getting out of this situation alive.

* * *

Some time passed, with the people in the mess hall - except for Hermes - cowering and trying not to call the attention to themselves. Some cried silently, others just tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. All thought why had did happened, why had this being taken them hostage? What was a chaapa'ai? The strange man had demanded to be allowed to go through that or he would kill them all!

The man who called himself Hermes began pacing the room, waiting for finding out if he would be allowed through the 'chaapa'ai' or if he should begin shooting the hostages.

JR suddenly felt a different tingling in his blood, similar to the constant one since he had arrived here, but slightly different. He realized it was when the man called Hermes came nearer - and unfortunately Hermes realized at the same time. He became furious.

Stepping up close to JR, and pointing the strange weapon at him, Hermes screamed. " **You have a symbiote! You are Tok'ra of course! The traitorous Tau'ri have hidden a Tok'ra in here! They thought you would overpower me, but your cowardly nature made you hide instead. Well, no longer, you have been discovered!** " He raised the weapon and fired a blue beam at JR at short range.

JR screamed shortly, convulsing on the floor, before his eyes flashed briefly, and then he became unconscious.

 


	3. Surprising Findings

Sam, Jack, Jonas, and Teal'c had checked that Hermes was dead, and then called Janet and the other medical personnel. They had then told those of the people in the room who were still conscious - which were only about half of the people present - to come with them.

They would be signing non-disclosure agreements, and then be given something to eat, before being checked up by the doctors. If all was well, they would be sent away from Stargate Command as quickly as possible.

Those who were unconscious would be taken to the infirmary and examined, then kept under observation until they woke up. If there was no remaining problems, they too would sign non-disclosure papers and be shipped away as quickly as possible.

"What a mess." Jack grumbled. "Whomever decided it was a good idea to bring in these people to look at the place, should have their asses wupped."

* * *

SG-1 had just finished being debriefed by General Hammond, when Janet called them over the intercom.

"Yes, Doctor Fraiser. What is it? Do you have any news on the victims of the super-zat?" Hammond asked.

"Very little, they are still unconscious, but are not deteriorating. I think it's only a matter of time before they wake up."

"Good. Nothing else?"

"Well, I'd like all of you to come down here. We've got a patient who looks very much like someone he just can't be."

* * *

"Okay, Doc, we're here. What was it you wanted us to see?" Jack asked.

"Come this way." Janet lead them into a large room in the infirmary, which had been converted to a ward. Several rows of bed stood in there."

"How many patients do you have?" Jonas looked shocked.

"20 in here, but that's only half of them. I have another room just next door. Come."

"That's horrible, Janet, but you said they'd recover, right?" Sam looked uncomfortably at some guards she recognized, really hoping they would be okay. "I'd really like to get to my lab and look at the super-zat. I may learn something that will help these people."

"This will just take a few minutes, then you can go look at your gadget. I'm really sure you will understand me, when you see the person I am talking about." Janet said.

SG-1 followed Janet into the room beside the one they had just entered, and walked towards a bed at the corner.

They was not quite there, when Sam stopped, frowning. "I...think I sense a symbiote."

"What? There's another snake? Hermes is dead, right, he didn't jump into anyone else, did he?" Jack demanded.

"No, don't worry. I have already looked at the corpse, and the symbiote is still inside its host. The Goa'uld Hermes is quite dead."

"Good - but then who else is snaked - and who's  _this_  Goa'uld?"

"Oh, god!" Sam exclaimed, as she spotted the man lying unconscious on the nearest bed. "Martouf!"

"I was under impression he was dead, killed by yourself, Major Carter." Teal'c observed.

"Well, this fellow has some ID that says his name is David Bourne Jr., but he does look a LOT like Martouf." Janet told them. "I talked to some of the other actors, and they confirm his identity - they say he's calling himself JR, and that he's a nice person - nothing suspicious that they have noticed."

"He looks exactly like Martouf." Sam said, guiltily lifting the blanket and checking. "He has the same birth-mark that I remember from Jolinar that he has."

"DNA test is not back yet, and I haven't had time to check if he has a symbiote, but..."

"He does. I can feel it. And it feels like Lantash." Sam insisted, looking part hopeful, and part disbelieving.

"There is also this..." Janet showed them a thin line on the man's arm, where the skin was pink, as if it was new skin. "He got a - fairly deep - scratch when he fell after being hit by Hermes's shot. As you can see, it is almost completely healed already."

"Ok,  _if_  that's indeed Marty and not some weird impostor of some kind...how could that be?" Jack demanded. "Did the Tok'ra trick us again?"

"I have no idea how this happened, but I don't think they tricked us...I think dad would have told me!" Sam said with conviction.

"Well, we can't get any further on this until he wakes up." Jack reasoned. "Let's go contact the Tok'ra. Inform us when 'JR' can be interrogated."

"I will inform you as soon as he is awake and well enough for you to talk to." Janet said. "It may well be a while. The first one who was shot has not awaken yet."

* * *

After talking to Hammond, they got the go ahead to contact the Tok'ra. Unfortunately, the Tok'ra was still on the run after the attack on Revanna, and it might be some time before they were able to contact the SGC.

Sam visited the infirmary again, still not quite believing it could be Martouf and Lantash down there.

However, using one of the devices they had received from the Tok'ra, Janet had by now made the DNA test on man. According to the test, this was Martouf. Janet had also scanned him and found he was a host. She had taken a test of the symbiote, and gotten a match - the symbiote was Lantash.

Janet had allowed Sam to stay in the infirmary, waiting for Martouf and Lantash to wake up. She had warned her that it could be a long time still - none of the victims of the super-zat had woken up yet.

There was one more thing Janet had discovered when she scanned Martouf's neck-head region - there had been some sort of small, organic, device, which she didn't know what did. It was very small, and she almost missed it, but after some discussion with Sam, they had decided it's most likely purpose was to somehow interfere with the symbiote's ability to take control, maybe even to communicate with the host.

Sam had guessed that it might have been installed as part of making them a zatarc. Obviously, there would have had to be some way of preventing the symbiote of taking control, if it was the host that had been brainwashed. Otherwise, the symbiote could just have taken control and stopped the host from doing anything bad when the programming activated, and probably could even remove the programming, given time.

It would seem that the shot from the super-zat had had an effect on the device, and it was now slowly breaking down. In time, Lantash would again be able to talk to Martouf and take control.

* * *

It was almost one hour later, when Martouf suddenly made a muffled sound and stirred on the bed.

Sam looked up, her heart beating faster both due to nervousness and anticipation. Could he remember her? Was he himself? Why had he pretended to be an actor from Earth? How had he even ended up on Earth?

"Martouf?" She asked, worried.

He groaned and touched his head. "Damn that hurt!"

"Ah, the zat-shot. Yeah, even being shot by a normal zat hurts - I don't wanna know what a super-zat does!"

Martouf opened his eyes and looked at her, confusion clear on his face. "Do I know you?" He frowned. "I mean, I kind of feel like I do, but I can't remember your name."

Sam nodded. "You do know me. I am Major Samantha Carter. Do you know who you are?"

"Of course. I'm JR Bourne." He carefully sat up, not moving his head too much. "So... I know you? Samantha... can I call you Samantha?"

"Eh, yes. Sure. Actually, that's what you usually calls me." Sam told him.

"It's a very pretty name." He gave her a charming smile, which almost took her breath away. "For a very pretty woman."

"Um, thanks." Sam didn't know what else to say.

"Well, I'm happy to hear that I know you - actually, I think I may have dreamt about you, but I can't say I have any other recollection of you. That's kind of worrying. Why would I forget such a beautiful woman?" He sat up straighter in the bed, then winced. "Samantha... do you think I could get some painkillers? My head feels like it's about to explode, and the rest of me aren't feeling so hot either."

Sam gave him a strange look at hearing him talk like that, but then nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure I can get you something. Don't worry, the affect will pass pretty quickly. It's from the zat - uh, you know, the weapon you were shot with."

"I kind of guessed that, but I'm very pleased to hear I'll be better soon." He gave her a small smile.

Sam nodded and smiled back, then left to find him some painkillers - and alert Janet that her patient was awake.

She wondered if Lantash was awake too - and how long it would be before the strange device had broken down so much that Lantash could talk to Martouf again - or perhaps she should call him JR right now, since that was apparently the persona he had taken on.

She shook her head, wondering how much he remembered, or how he had come to think he was from Earth. If he even thought that. Perhaps he just pretended, since he didn't know what she knew?

Regardless, she was very happy he and Lantash were still alive.


	4. Some Explanations

A couple of hours later, Janet had finished examining Martouf. She had determined that he did indeed have amnesia, but he had only a vague idea that there was something he had forgotten. Mostly, he seemed to be convinced that he really was 'JR Bourne', and actor from the planet Earth. Janet had no idea how that had happened, unless he had previously been undercover as a similar persona somewhere, and somehow that was the part of his memories he could access.

Hopefully, when Lantash could again talk to him and take control, he would also be able to help him remember who he was. For now, he had been released from the infirmary, but would not be allowed to leave the base, something he had complained mightily about. He was supposed to be at a filming the next day, and if he did not show, he would lose the job.

"Okay - Carter, go explain to him that he's Tok'ra, and that he can't work as an actor on this planet. He's a, a resistance fighter, _dammit_!" Jack exclaimed.

"That would not be advisable." Janet said. "Telling him about the Tok'ra and alien planets when he remembers nothing about it will only confuse him. We should take it slow. Sam - I agree that you should talk to him. He seems to have a vague memory of you, and he appears to trust you."

Jack snorted. "Yeah, right. Snakeboy doesn't remember anything else, but he remembers having the hots for Carter! I'll bet he's just faking it all!"

"Sir! That's not fair! Why would he do that?" Sam insisted, angrily.

"I can assure you, his amnesia is quite real." Janet told them.

Sam threw Jack an angry look, and left to go find Martouf.

* * *

She knocked on the door to the temporary quarters that had been assigned to Martouf. He opened the door a few moments later, and smiled widely when he saw her.

"Samantha, correct?"

"Yes." Sam smiled. "Um, I thought maybe you'd like to go and get something to eat?"

"Sure, I would like that. Where are we going?"

"Just the mess hall. You're not, ah, permitted off base right now."

He nodded, closing the door behind him and following her. "Yes, they told me." He sighed. "It's all very confusing... I mean, I _know_ who I am, but they claim I'm someone else? Someone called 'Martouf' - that's a really odd name. I assume it's my given name?"

"Yes, I don't think you have a last name - if you do, I've never heard it. I guess you could use Lantash, if you really need another name. For ID, or something."

"Lantash?" He looked thoughtful, as if he recognized the name, then shook his head. "So I'm guessing I'm not really from Canada? That's where I thought I was from."

"No, you're from, ah, a bit further away."

He stopped and touched his neck, then shook his head again. "Never mind."

"What is it?"

"You promise not to tell the doctors? I _really_ don't need to be locked up down in that infirmary again."

"Promise."

"I trust you. I don't know why, but something tells me I can trust you."

"You can. We were... I mean we are friends. Close friends."

"Okay. I realize this sounds crazy, but sometimes it's as if, as if I sense _movement_... here." He touched his neck. "And I also sometimes imagine I can sense... a presence? As a whisper I can almost hear. Both sensations have been stronger after I was hit by that... weapon."

"I'm not supposed to tell you why, but I _can_ tell you that there's no reason to worry. The shot that hit you seems to have activated the breakdown of some kind of barrier, that's... um, keeping you from remembering." Sam said, not quite the truth, but they did think Lantash would help him remember when he could communicate and access his mind normally again.

He made a non-committal sound, clearly not happy with how things were going.

* * *

They had reached the mess hall, and found something to eat, then sat down at a table in a corner.

Martouf frowned as he looked at the food, then began eating it with a resigned expression.

Sam grinned, picking up her own fork. "Yeah, the food here isn't the best. You usually complain about it!"

"I'm not surprised!" He smiled at her. "So, we really know each other? I've been to this base before? I assume I'm not an actor then, since we weren't allowed down to the lower levels."

"Yes to all your questions."

"You said we're friends. Nothing more?" He gave her a very charming, and somewhat shy smile.

"Um, no, we're - just friends." Sam felt her cheeks warm a little, and she looked down.

"Mmhm." He looked less than convinced, then his expression changed to uncertainty. "If you say so." He ate some of the food, clearly not enjoying it. "So, what do I do? Am I in the Air Force?"

"No... um, Martouf... you're, sort of, a civilian."

"But I work here at the base?" He shook his head. "It's strange being addressed like that."

"Not quite. You come here, sometimes. You're... part of an... well, organization, I guess, that's working with us. Allies." Sam frowned. "Do you mind that I call you Martouf? Would you rather I called you, eh, JR? Or Mr. Bourne, perhaps?"

"No, I kind of like the name Martouf, especially how it sounds when you say it. Anyway, you're making it all sound very mysterious - what I'm involved in, I mean."

"I don't mean to - it's just that the doctors doesn't want me to tell you very much until you remember on your own."

"Okay, so what's up with the weird wiggling movement in my neck? I mean I definitely feel it." He put his hand on his neck.

Sam sighed, realizing it was probably Lantash trying to get Martouf's attention - or maybe trying to remove the rest of the block quicker. Or maybe he was aware of what was going on around him? He would definitely be able to sense the naquadah from the Stargate - and in her, she realized. Did sound travel through to him? Did he have amnesia too?

"It's a long story." Sam finally said.

"All right, tell me something else, then. This is a super-high security military installation - what are you doing here? I must have clearance to know that!"

"You do, mostly." Sam smiled, apologetically. "When you..."

"When I get my memory back. Yeah, I get it." He took a deep breath. "Whatever it is, it's something quite out of the ordinary, I'm sure. Do you know how I lost my memory, and how I came to think I'm JR Bourne? Does it have anything to do with that odd tingly feeling I get when I'm around here? Some kind of chemical I was exposed to?"

"You were badly wounded, but I don't know if that's what caused the amnesia, or if something else did. Some people - um, _specialists_ \- will be coming to examine you. As for the tingling feeling - that's due to a mineral called naquadah, which you were, I guess you could say exposed, to. So was I. It's not dangerous, but it reacts to the presence of other sources of naquadah."

"So I can sense that... that mineral?"

"Yes."

"That explains why I feels some sort of resonance from you - well it explains some of it." He winked at her, causing her to blush. "It doesn't explain why I sense it all over this place."

"There's a very big - device - made out of it, in the basement of this place. That's why."

He frowned, then nodded. "This mineral... it has other qualities, right? I have noticed that wounds heal impossibly fast - and now when I think of it, I haven't had a cold ever, not that I remember, at least."

"It does affect you, yes. It makes you much more resistant to a large number of drugs, and it helps protect against some diseases. I haven't had a cold for years, either."

They ate the rest of their food in silence, while Martouf pondered what he had been told.

Suddenly, when they had finished their food, he took her hand, then slowly entwined his fingers with her. "Samantha...I remember this. We sat like this...on a sand dune?" He looked at her, uncertain.

Sam looked up at him, after staring almost transfixed at their hands. She nodded slowly. "Yes, we did. Several years ago, when we had just met."

He frowned. "When we had just met? It seems...much too _intimate_ a gesture for that."

"Hiya, kids! How're ya doing?" Jack suddenly said from behind them.

Sam and Martouf quickly pulled their hands away from each other, and looked at Jack. From his expression, it was clear he had seen them holding hands, and that he did not approve.

"I am well." Martouf gave Jack a displeased look.

"Memory coming back? Or perhaps it wasn't gone?" He asked sharply.

"I do not understand what you mean. I still don't remember being Martouf."

"He just had a small memory flash, so perhaps it will be coming back soon." Sam said, hopefully. "Come, Martouf. If you've finished eating, we should go. I thought I would show you some things, and see if you remember them."

"Yes, Samantha, of course." He got up and made a small half-bow to Jack, before following Sam out of the mess hall.

Jack stood and looked after them for a moment, not sure how he felt about this.


	5. Discoveries

"That is the device, which you call a 'Stargate'?" Martouf asked, staring out at the big ring through the window in the controlroom.

"Yes. Does it ring a bell? Um, by the way, your people call it chaapa'ai." Sam said.

Martouf nodded slowly. "It does... I think. I feel some familiarity with it, as if I have seen it - walked through it - several times before. Have I?"

"Yes, you have. Where do you think you have gone?"

He shook his head. "This is not going to make sense, but - to other worlds?"

Sam grinned. "Actually, it makes sense, and you are correct. It's used to travel to other planets - my team do so regularly, as do several other teams."

Martouf looked shocked. "Other planets. I have been to other planets! I would have never thought I would say something like that." He frowned. "Are there aliens there?"

"Yes, though most planets have human populations - but let's not talk about that right now."

He nodded, reluctantly, obviously wanting to know more. "All right."

"Come, I have some things in my lab I want you to see."

* * *

They went to her lab, and Sam took a zat, a hand device, and a healing device from a box.

"Do you recognize any of these?" Sam asked.

Martouf picked the things up one at a time, looking at them. Thoughtful, he put the hand device on, and flexed his fingers in it. Suddenly, the crystal in the middle glowed softly. "Whoa! Did I do that?"

"Yes."

"How? I didn't push any buttons - I just...thought of it." He hurriedly took off the hand device.

"It's thought controlled. What did you think about?"

" _Thought-controlled?_ " He looked disbelieving "I remember...wearing it. Using it, I think. I suddenly remember the crystal is supposed to glow when you use it, and I thought about that - and then it started glowing!"

"That's good, you're starting to remember. But maybe a bit dangerous. It's a very dangerous and hard to control weapon."

He nodded. "I believe you..." He frowned. "Is this weapon called kara kesh?"

"Maybe, honestly, I don't know the Goa'uld word for it. We usually call it hand device, or ribbon device,"

"Goa'uld? That's the aliens, like the one that shot me, right?"

"Yes."

"Why would I remember the Goa'uld word instead?"

"That's, um, a long story." Sam looked uncomfortable. "What about the other things. Ring any bells?"

"Zat'nik'tel?" Martouf said slowly, as he touched the weapon.

"Correct." She didn't want to point out they usually just called it a zat - it would just be one more thing to wonder about, and she didn't know if they wanted him to realize he was an alien just yet.

"This is for healing." Martouf picked up the healing device.

"Very good." Sam smiled. "You're remembering!"

Martouf frowned and put down the device, then touched his neck. "I felt something move again. It's definitely something, and not something I imagine!"

Sam sighed deeply, then went to him. "May I feel?" She hoped she could somehow figure out if Lantash was working on removing the rest of the block, or trying to communicate - and whether he had amnesia too.

"Of course."

"Just relax." Sam put her hand flat on Martouf's neck, but didn't feel anything at first. She touched along his spine, then suddenly felt a movement - as if the symbiote was pushing against her hand. She felt fairly certain Lantash was trying to communicate with them. It must be horrible for him to be blocked and trapped like that, unable to talk to anyone, including his host, for several years!

She felt incredibly sorry for Lantash, and thinking she wanted to reassure him, she started to stroke him softly. He pushed against her hand again, clearly appreciating the gesture.

Martouf cleared his throat after a few minutes. "Um, while that is certainly pleasant, I think I'm confused as to what effect it will have..." He smiled a very charming, a slightly shy smile. "Of course, I don't object in the least to you touching me..."

"Oh." Sam blushed. "I can see how that looked." She sighed. "I don't know if the doctors want me to tell you, but I think you should now, so I will tell you. However, it's...sort of something that will be a big shock to you, I think, so we should go somewhere private." She grinned. "Don't misunderstand me! I'm not coming on to you!"

However much I want to, Sam thought to herself.

"As I said, I don't mind. At all. You are very beautiful - as well as kind and intelligent. I can't understand that we are just friends. I must be a fool, not to have shown any interest in you!"

"Ah, um, I think you have...shown some interest when you're yourself. It's just...there's reasons why it may not be a good idea for us to be together."

"I cannot think of any reason why not!" He took her hand, and squeezed it gently.

"Um, believe me, there are reasons, but it would be too confusing to explain right now. Just trust me for now. In any case, it is _not_  a good idea to, ah, get involved when you don't remember who you are."

"I do trust you - and that you believe this is so, but I am not sure I will agree. Now or when I hopefully get my memory back. However, for now I will accept your wish."

* * *

They went to Sam's quarters, and when she had closed the door, she turned to him.

"Please sit down." She gestured at the chair by the desk.

Martouf sat down on the chair, and Sam took a seat on her bed. A little while passed, while Sam tried to think of something to say. This was not easy - how do you explain to someone they have an alien lifeform in their head!

"Well?" He looked at her. "I must admit I look forward to some explanations. A lot of thing is confusing for me."

Sam nodded. "I can understand, and I'm sorry. This is not going to make things easier." She sighed. "You remembered we talked about the Stargate...the chaapa'ai, going to other planets?"

"Of course! How could I forget something like that?!"

"Okay, you asked about whether there were aliens out there, and I said yes - there is. Martouf - you're not from this planet."

"What? But I'm human!"

"Well, yes, you are, but not from Earth."

"You said most planets had human populations - are you saying I'm from one of those?" He looked increduled.

"Yes."

"It's difficult to believe." He shook his head. "How did there come to be humans out there? Why am I here?"

"Those enemies we talked of earlier, the Goa'uld - they took a lot of humans from Earth and moved them to other planets. To use as slaves."

"Slaves?"

"Yes. Most of them were taken many years ago. Many many generations."

"And I'm from one of those. Slave-populations."

Sam nodded. "You are, but you are part of a resistance, one who fights those Goa'uld. That is how you came to be here. We are allied with the resistance, and you sometimes come to Earth because of that."

"Is that why I've lived here on Earth, thinking I was an actor?"

"No. We don't know why. You were wounded. We thought you were dead, actually, but you clearly survived, and somehow ended up here on this world. We hope to learn more, when we hear from your people."

"So they're coming here - from any world?"

"Yes, and I'm hoping they will be here soon."

Martouf nodded, clearly shaken by all he had been told. He suddenly remembered something. "That...the strange movement in my neck. Me sensing that... _naquadah_...is that because I'm from another planet? Me reacting to this world, for some weird reason?"

"No, not quite."

"That's right - you said you sensed the naquadah too. What then?"

Sam closed her eyes for a moment, then decided to jump out into it. "Those who are members of the resistance are all, ah, hosts."

"Hosts? What do you mean hosts? Hosts to what?"

"They are symbiotes - symbiotic creatures. They sit wrapped around the spine, up the neck and into the lower part of your head."

He looked at her, disbelief on his face. "You're kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not."

"Why would anyone want to do that?"

"Well, I guess there are many reasons, but one of them is that they can heal most injuries and diseases. They increase your lifespan too - with many centuries."

"Really?" He still didn't know what to believe, then suddenly he nodded. "That is why any small scratch or injury healed in no time. Why I can't remember having a cold at all!"

"Yes, that would be why."

"That's certainly neat - and I guess an advantage if you're in a resistance. I guess it could be dangerous work." He grimaced. "Still, sounds a bit...icky. To have a creature sitting inside me like that."

Sam smiled wryly. "Yeah, lots of people think so, but I don't think any of the Tok'ra would agree. That's the name of your people. The resistance. They are called Tok'ra."

"Against Ra." Martouf said.

"Yes."

He sighed. "I can see why the others maybe didn't want me to know any of this - and I realize you probably haven't told me half of it, but I'm still grateful to you. Thank you, Samantha, for trusting me. For telling me this."

"Of course, Martouf. You're my friend." She smiled genuinely. "I'm glad you aren't freaking out over the symbiote-in-head stuff."

"No, strangely enough, it feels...comforting? I know it sounds crazy, but to me it feels  _right_." He realized something. "You were checking on the...the symbiote, before, when you touched my neck?"

"Yes. I was checking if he was okay - as much as I can. You're people will be able to do that better when they arrive, but I think he's okay. Not sure if he has amnesia too, but..." She suddenly realized what she was saying, and stopped.

"Wait! If  _he_  has  _amnesia_  too? He's, uh, he's sentient? We can communicate with him?" Martouf got a very strange expression.

Sam sighed. "Oops, I guess. I don't think I should have told you yet, but...nothing to do about that now. Yes, he's sentient. His name is Lantash - and usually you can talk to him."

"Lantash - that was the other name you said I could use, as a last name."

"Yes."

Martouf shook his head. "There is a sentient creature in my head, ready to heal me if I need it. An internal doctor. Why did he agree to it? How do I talk to him? Can he read my thought?"

"Yes, though a bit more than an internal doctor - the symbiotes are...somewhat eel-like, I guess. They can't interact much with their surroundings in their natural state, so they need hosts to do so. Normally, host and symbiote can talk together internally - and yes, he can read your mind, but he only does if you let him. They can also take control of the body, so you, kind of take turns being in control."

Martouf was quiet for some time. "It sounds completely insane. I guess I can understand they would want a host, then, and I guess that the healing gifts they give could make someone agree to be their host. Does...does Lantash fight in this resistance too?"

"Oh, yes. Actually, it's the symbiotes who fight originally, and then their hosts join them in their fight. There isn't many other ways for humans to fight the Goa'uld."

Martouf nodded. "Okay, so one more reason to be host to a symbiote." He closed his eyes for a few moments. "This will take some time getting used to. Are there more I should know?"

"There is, I guess, but don't you think this is enough for now?"

"You're probably right. So this movement in my neck - it's Lantash trying to get my attention? Or trying to fix whatever is wrong, that's giving me amnesia, and stopping him from talking to me?"

"Yes, most likely."

"Okay. Well, I gather...even if this all sounds strange and unbelievable, then I would assume that if I have chosen to be his host, and remained so, then I must like him. He is my friend, correct?"

"He is, yes. From what I have been told - by you - host and symbiote are closer than any others."

"Then I shall look forward to being able to talk to him again." Martouf said, gingerly petting his neck, trying very hard to come to terms with all this.


	6. The Tok'ra

Sam and Martouf sat in quiet in her quarters, while Martouf was thinking about all he had been told.

Then Sam's phone rang. "Hello, this is Major Carter."

" _Hammond here. Major, your father is here from the Tok'ra. Could you come to my office and bring Martouf?_ "

"Of course. We will be there in a moment, sir." She hung up and looked at the questioning Martouf. "The Tok'ra are here - or one of them is, at any rate. My dad, Jacob, host to Selmak."

Martouf nodded. "I do not remember meeting him, but perhaps I shall when I see him."

* * *

They stepped into the room, and Jacob stared at Martouf when they entered.

"I thought it was some kind of sick joke when you told me Martouf was alive, George, but that sure looks like him." Jacob said, shaking his head.

"Janet's confirmed his - and Lantash's DNA." Sam told him. "Hi, dad."

"Hello...Jacob?" Martouf sounded hesitant. "That is your name, correct?"

"Yes, you remember me?"

Martouf shook his head. "No, Samantha told me who we were going to meet...though there is something familiar about you...and I sense the...naquadah...in...in Selmak?"

Jacob nodded. "We are good friends. Martouf - if it's really you, then you have been sorely missed, not just by me and Selmak, but by a great many among the Tok'ra. You are well liked, , a gifted diplomat, and a talented, intelligent operative."

"Wow, dad! I've never heard you speak like that of anyone before!" Sam sounded impressed.

"Thank you. Those are very kind words. I wish I remembered any of this." Martouf said.

"Hopefully you soon will." Jacob sighed. "I have a healing device I can use to scan you with, but I didn't bring the necessary equipment to treat you, or even do a thorough examination - and I'm not the right for that anyway. What I will do is make a quick scan, and then talk to Doctor Fraiser, before returning to the Tok'ra. Tomorrow I'll be back, bringing one or more of our healers, so they can see what they can do to help you remember."

"That would be great. Thanks." Martouf smiled.

"Dad - it sounds like you didn't expect Martouf and Lantash to be alive, so I'm going to assume the Tok'ra didn't know? Do you have any idea what has happened?" Sam wondered.

Jacob looked stern. "No, but someone must know something, and I intend to find out!"

"Could Zipacna have taken Lantash and Elliot's corpses when he had conquered Revanna? Would that have been in time to revive them?" Sam asked.

"Perhaps. It is possible, though unlikely he would care. Even if he did, that neither explains how he got Martoud's body - sorry, Martouf - nor how Lantash got back into Martouf."

"It is...strange, hearing these things, but too unreal to bother me much." Martouf said.

Jacob nodded. "I understand."

"Couldn't the Tok'ra scientist have kept Martouf's body in stasis, and then Zipacna found it? I know Ren'al said they...did Tok'ra funeral rites for Martouf, but couldn't she or another scientist have lied and saved the body...perhaps to do more tests?" Sam sounded very distressed.

"It's possible, and I wouldn't put it beyond Ren'al. She is a competent scientist, and loyal to the Tok'ra cause, but she can be more than a bit...cynical. She very much believes that the end justifies the means...whatever the means, almost. Selmak has given me some stories..." He shook his head. "That's not what we should talk about...however, did Ren'al say that Tok'ra funeral rites were done for Martouf?"

"Yes, I am very sure she did."

"That's strange, because when we wanted to do that, she said that he had written requirements for his body being returned to his people - and that she had given it to them. It's unusual, but permitted, of course. Many were surprised at it, because Martouf become host very young, and never showed much interest in visiting his family or friends."

"I remember that from Jolinar - he was part of a group captured to be host to some Goa'uld's children. He volunteered to be Tok'ra instead, when another Goa'uld attacked during the ceremony, and some Tok'ra present were wounded." Sam said.

"I think...I remember being very young and scared...hiding, with a beautiful young woman." Martouf said.

"That was Rosha - she became host to Jolinar when you became host to Lantash. You begin to remember?" Jacob asked.

"A little bit. Rosha..." He shook his head. "I only remember a beautiful young woman - I think I have dreamt of her. I remember her name as Jolinar."

"Jolinar and Lantash were mates for 80 years when you and Rosha became their new hosts. The relationship continued, as I believe is usual for the Tok'ra." Sam explained. "Right, dad?"

"Yes, and I'm impressed you remember that much from Jolinar." Jacob said.

"Wait..." Martouf said. "You talk about remembering stuff from Jolinar. You were her host! That's why I sense some naquadah in you. You were host to...to my mate! And my mate died!" He suddenly looked devastated. "I...feel deep sorrow...even if I barely remember her. I remembered the grief of her death."

"I'm sorry, Martouf." Sam awkwardly patted him on the arm.

"I think I need to talk more to Ren'al - I think she is hiding something." Jacob concluded.

Sam nodded. "What about the device that is keeping Lantash from communicating with Martouf and taking control?"

"Right - that's just confusing! If Zipacna got the bodies of both Lantash and Elliot, and Martouf, and revived them, and Lantash jumped back in Martouf...why would Zipacna put in such a device? It is all strange, and doesn't make sense! There must be something we are missing!"

* * *

Jacob had used the healing device to scan Martouf and Lantash, and gotten to the same conclusion as Janet. He had then discussed it all with her, and then returned to the Tok'ra - both to find a healer that could help, and to dig into what had really happened to Martouf and Lantash.

This also meant he could not just bring any healer. It had to be someone he could trust implicitly, and he probably had to do the investigation discreetly. What a mess!

Sam and Martouf had eaten dinner together, and spent some time talking afterwards, and now it was getting time to say goodnight.

"Well, I'm going to call it a night, and I would think you'd like some sleep before tomorrow - there's going to be a lot happening, when the Tok'ra healer arrives." Sam said.

Martouf nodded. "Yes, I know. I feel some trepidation about it, I shall have to admit that."

"You don't have anything to worry about. They're just going to help you get better."

"I know that, but...what if I find out something about myself that I don't like? About the reason why I hid here on Earth. What if I did something?"

"I can't imagine you were involved in whatever the reason for all of this is. It's just not in your nature. You're a very honourable, and kind man, who will do all it takes for your friends - and give your life for the cause you believe in. No, Martouf! I can't believe you're responsible!"

"Thank you, Samantha. That is very kind of you to say." He smiled a little, then sighed. "There is also something else - when I remember who I am...if I ever do that...will the person I am now not disappear? In a way... _die_? I'm kind of attached to who I am, you know."

Sam nodded, solemnly. "I very much understand, but you are not so different from the person you normally are. Perhaps a bit more...open and direct. Martouf is quite shy...but other than that, you are very much like him. Kind, intelligent..." She blushed.

Martouf smiled widely. "Keep the compliments coming!"

"See? That's not something the Martouf I know would ever say - but Lantash might."

"So maybe I'm a little of both right now?"

"Maybe."

"Samantha, can I walk you to your quarters?"

"Yes, of course. I...I would like that." She smiled.

* * *

"You know, you didn't tell me..." Martouf smiled.

They were standing outside her quarters, and Sam had just unlocked her door.

"What didn't I tell you?"

"That you were host to my mate."

"Um, no, no I didn't. And yes, I was. Ah, it was just one more confusing thing, you know."

"I understand, however, you said that...'the relationship continued, as I believe is usual for the Tok'ra'."

"I did, yes."

"Wouldn't that mean...that  _you_  are my mate?"

"Well, I think I would have been, if Jolinar had survived. Maybe I am anyway, I don't know. I don't remember very much about Tok'ra costumes."

"But you carry her emotions, don't you? That is why you say things are complicated between us."

"Um...Yes, uh, I guess... that is, yes, I do...and it is  _confusing_." Sam admitted, blushing. "That is part of... why it's, um, complicated, between us..."

Martouf nodded, then gave her a shy, charming smile, that was exactly like the ones Sam was used to from him, and she felt her heart beat faster.

"Then maybe we ought to do something to see if we can resolve that...  _confusion_." Martouf took her hand, and entwined his fingers with hers, then slowly pulled her closer.

She did not resist when Martouf leaned in close, and their lips met in a light, gentle, kiss. Sam closed her eyes and returned the kiss, slowly moving her mouth against his. She pushed her tongue against his lips, and he parted them, letting her deepen the kiss.

Sam made a small sound and wrapped her arms around him, and she felt Martouf's arms go around her too. The kiss got more passionate, and she forgot they were still standing in the corridor outside her room.

That is, she forgot it until she heard someone talking to them.

"I see you haven't forgotten  _everything_..."

Sam and Martouf slowly let go of each other and looked at Jack who was standing there, looking very unimpressed.

"Um, sir. Hi..." Sam managed, her brain still befuddled from the kiss. "Martouf was just, uh, saying goodnight..."

"Yeah, I can see that." Jack snorted.

"This is between Samantha and me - it is none of your concern!" Martouf said, getting angry.

"Ah, listen, we should all get some sleep. Frayed nerves and all that..." Jonas put in, and they now noticed him - and Teal'c - standing behind Jack as well. "Then we can talk tomorrow, okay? I'm sure Martouf needs sleep - it's been an eventful day."

"Yeah, and it would have been a lot more eventful if we hadn't been lucky enough to come this way now." Jack grumbled in a low voice.

"I told you to stay out of my affairs!" Martouf exclaimed, his hearing better than a normal humans.

"Affairs? So you're admitting you're just using Carter?" Jack said, immediately regretting it as soon as it was out of him mouth. Why did he get so annoyed when that Tok'ra was near Carter?

"Okay, that's enough, sir. You will stop that immediately!" Sam said, getting angry.

"We are leaving now." Teal'c said, and together with Jonas they gave Jack a gentle nudge, making him follow them.

"I should go to sleep as well. You know how to find your quarters?" Sam asked.

"Yes, I do." Martouf nodded. "Goodnight, Samantha."

"Goodnight, Martouf." Sam smiled at him.

Sam went into her room, admitting to herself she regretted not having had the courage to invite Martouf in. If only her team mates hadn't interrupted them, then Martouf might already been in her bed, with her! She sighed, thinking back to how nice it had been to kiss him.

Martouf walked back to his quarters, slowly, annoyed Jack had interrupted them. Tomorrow, he would not let him be dissuaded. He was certain he loved Samantha, and that she loved him.


	7. Learning a little more

Martouf had only just finished eating breakfast - together with Sam - when they were informed a group of Tok'ra had arrived.

They hurried down to Hammond's office, where the Tok'ra were waiting. It turned out the group consisted of Naron/Malek, Freya/Anise, the Tok'ra healers Dippo/Xulxu and Niama/Viorna, as well as Jacob/Selmak. They were bringing fairly much equipment and devices.

Martouf felt some trepidation as he entered the room, realizing they all knew him, and he didn't know anyone but Jacob in there, and only because he had met him the day before.

Sam smiled reassuring at him, and they entered together.

" **Impressive, it really does seem you are correct, Jacob - it does look like Martouf, and I sense a symbiote in him."**  Anise said, slowly shaking her head.

"Of course I'm right! Didn't you look at the scans I gave you?" Jacob sounded insulted.

Martouf had stopped and then taken a step back when he heard the voice, being reminded of the Goa'uld who had taken him and the other actors prisoner a few days ago.

"Um, Martouf doesn't really remember any of you, so perhaps we should start by introducing each other?" Sam said.

" **A very good idea. You are Major Carter, I assume?"**  Malek said, giving her a friendly smile.

Martouf sent him a warning look, suddenly recognizing Malek's expression as the one he had when he was interested in some woman. Why did he recognize that? Was he friends with that...man? Alien? Alien, like himself, or at least like...Lantash, Martouf corrected himself. He put a hand on the small of Sam's back, and she gave him a smile before answering Malek.

"Yes, I am Major Samantha Carter. You are Malek, right? I remember you from Jolinar - you were her friend." Sam said.

" **That is correct, and I would be honoured if you would consider me your...** _ **friend**_ **.** " Malek said, raising an eyebrow amusingly and looking at Martouf, who was clearly staking his claim. " **My host's name is Naron."**

**"I am Anise."**  Anise said, handing over control to Freya. "And I am Freya."

The other Tok'ra introduced themselves as well, and then it was time to get down to the matter at hand.

" **Martouf, I am a healer among the Tok'ra - your people. Viorna and I would like to examine you and Lantash, and see if we can determine what has happened, and how to help the two of you get well as quickly as possible."**  Xulxu told him.

"Thank you." Martouf said, somewhat careful. He was still not sure if he even wanted to become this other person, because wouldn't that mean he forgot who he felt he was right now?

" **Before you do that, there is something I would like to say."**  Malek insisted. " **Something very important. I have started an investigation into what happened to you and Lantash, Martouf, and I have some very preliminary findings."**

"Please, go on." Hammond ordered.

" **Ren'al was the scientist in charge of the zatarc**   **project, taking over from Anise when she was stationed on Navalla."**

**"Much against my wish. The zatarc**   **project was** _ **my**_   **project, and I do not like suddenly being replaced and reassigned."** Anise scowled.

" **I know, and I am sorry. If I had been present at the Council meeting where it was decided, I would have vetoed it."** Malek assured her.

Selmak got control from Jacob. " **Unfortunately, I was also not present, and neither was Garshaw. Ren'al asked for the assignment at a time when she knew only those Council members who agree with her, were present."**

**"** Um, do you have some sort of problem on the Council?" Sam asked, worried.

" **There have been...disagreements. It has always been this way, of course, but in the last few years those disagreements have grown worse, and more frequent. Ren'al, Delek, Suvikka, Teflorn, Shivka, Pollark, and Nivalkon** **have all become more paranoid, cautious, and less willing to help others. They often vote together, and against the rest. Usually, they are a minority, but now, unfortunately, many were away."**

"I don't recognize Shivka and Pollark - the others have always been Council members, right?" Sam said.

Selmak nodded. " **Yes. Shivka**   **and Pollark**   **took over when Cordesh**   **was killed as a traitor, and Walka**   **was killed when Cordesh**   **removed her, before taking her host, as you may remember."**

**"** Right." Sam frowned.

" **Regardless of the reasons."**  Malek continued, taking over the explanations again. " **Ren'al took over the zatarc**   **project. After taking a number of samples, and doing some scans, Anise had been working on healing Martouf, deciding saving his and Lantash's**   **life were more important than the small chance of getting further information about the zatarc**   **programming by doing an autopsy on Martouf. She had already gotten much information from just scanning his brain, and from the small samples she had taken from him and Lantash. For instance, she had found that a blocking device had been placed, so Lantash could not take control and stop Martouf, or in any way heal his mind, which he would otherwise do. He could still do some basic healing, slow aging, filter poisons, and such things, but nothing that needed any complexity, not with the block in place."**

"How far had she gotten, healing Martouf, I mean?" Sam asked, throwing a look at Martouf, who looked shocked, confused, and angry all at the same time.

**"Enough that he was stable, and that even in the current blocked situation, Lantash would be able to do the rest. Anise was working on finding a way to remove the block."**

"Then Ren'al took over." Sam sounded tense.

**"Yes, and as you may remember, she is very goal-oriented. She felt that even a small extra amount of information was more important than saving Martouf's life, so she decided to cut open Martouf's head and look at the remaining damage from the zatarc**   **programming, before it was healed. She came to the conclusion that it was probably best to remove Lantash, at least temporarily."**

**"She admitted this?"** Selmak sounded furious.

**"Yes, she did. However, before she had time to do that, something unexpected happened. Martouf and Lantash disappeared."**

"What?" Sam gaped, as did most of them.

Malek nodded, looking grim. " **Ren'al hid this fact from the rest of us, since she had been responsible, and felt she was too blame. You see, she had an assistant, Pel'han, who despite seemingly incompetent or worse, she had allowed to work in the laboratory, without supervision. He disappeared with Martouf and Lantash, and Ren'al admits that signs points to Pel'han**   **having been mislead by Tanith, and working with him. Ren'al did not wish to admit her failure in this, and I believe she was blinded by lust for Pel'han, whom she had an affair with."**

"I think I remember Ren'al would never admit to any error or weakness." Sam noted.

" **Correct. So she hid what had happened, and made discreet investigations. She was also convinced - contrary to what Anise believed - that Martouf was still too wounded for Lantash to heal while blocked, and so they would die, and not be a danger to security. She knew some of our hosts are from planets where the locals have specific burial rituals, and sometimes there is family which will insist on handling the burial."**

**"It is** _ **very**_ **rare! Usually the hosts have little contact with their friends and family from before blending, and they have started a completely new life. Their friends and family will usually not even acknowledge them!"**  Selmak exclaimed.

" **How dared Ren'al say that I was wrong? I assure you, Martouf was healed enough that Lantash could handle the rest. I am certain of it!"** Anise was furious, and her eyes flashed a strong white, making Martouf gasp in surprise when he saw it.

" **You know how she is. So she reported Martouf had died, and that she had removed Lantash, and hoped he could be saved. Then she informed us Martouf's people had come for him."**  Malek explained.

"Okay, that's outrageous!" Sam cried, incredulous and angry. "Not only that, but if I understand it all correctly, Lantash was still inside Martouf when Pel'han stole them?"

Malek nodded. " **Yes. However, Anise had taken several samples from both Martouf and Lantash, when she worked on determining how the zatarc**   **programming had been done, and how it affected them, and could be detected. Ren'al - in a panic - used a little-tried method to make a clone from one of the cell samples from Lantash. She succeeded, even though the clone was not perfect. She managed to conceal it as injuries from the removal and from the shooting, and the Lantash-clone**   **slowly healed."**

"Wouldn't the clone wonder about any of it?" Hammond asked.

" **Symbiotes**   **have genetic memory, as you all know, however, there is a delay in storing the memories to the...DNA? as I believe you call it. Thus the Lantash-clone**   **did not have any memories of what had happened in the time just before the sample was taken - and it had been taken shortly after the attack, even. So she could tell him anything, and he would have no choice but to believe it."**

"But symbiotes also have normal memories, wouldn't he wonder where they were?" Sam said.

" **Yes, but Ren'al convinced him he had amnesia from damage from the attack, which was even likely, so that was also not a problem for her."**

"Sneaky bitch!" Sam exclaimed angrily. "I'm going to kill her!"

" **She will be punished by the Council - even her friends cannot and will not protect her after this - at least not since it was discovered. Some of them may have known, but we have not had time to find out. There will be more investigations, I promise**   **you that!"**  Malek said.

"Then...how did I get away from this, uh, Pel'han?" Martouf wondered.

" **We do not know. Ren'al never managed to learn what had happened after Pel'han**   **escaped with you, other than a vague hint that he had been killed when some Goa'uld got angry at him. Ren'al assumed it was because Martouf had died before Pel'han**   **got him to the Goa'uld and that it had been too late for a sarcophagus, so the Goa'uld did not get what he was promised. It is clear she was wrong, but we cannot know what happened, unless we find more intelligence on this. Of course, if we can help**   **Martouf remember, or if Lantash remembers, then we will know.** " Malek said.

"Well, if there is nothing else to report, then you should examine Martouf and Lantash and see what you can do to help them." Hammond ordered.

**"Of course. Martouf, please follow us."** Xulxu told him, getting up.

Martouf nodded, and followed the Tok'ra healers.


	8. The Healers

"What did they say?" Sam asked, when Martouf came out from the room where the healers had examined him. She had been waiting just outside.

Martouf looked a bit dazed. He looked up when Sam talked to him, and gave her a weak smile. "Sorry, it's just all so confusing."

Sam smiled at him, and give his arm a squeeze. "I understand. Would you like to go have a cup of coffee, or tea, or something? That is, if you're free to go now."

He nodded. "They finished examining me, and are looking at the results. They would call me back when they had anything to tell me. Until then, I am free to do as I want, as long as I don't leave the base. So, yes, I'd like to go sit somewhere and talk - maybe drink a glass of juice or something."

Sam nodded. "Come then! We'll see if the mess hall has some sort of pie, or something too. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Martouf smiled a little wider. "Yes, that does sound very appealing."

* * *

Some hours later, Martouf was called to a briefing room. Sam followed, and was allowed to come listen to what the healers had to say too.

"Wait, so you're saying that you can treat Martouf so the block of Lantash will go away more or less immediately, but that Martouf will temporarily lose his memories again... that is what he has managed to remember again?" Sam asked.

" **Yes, but it should only be temporarily, and then he will have all his memories back - as himself. Besides, Lantash will be able to help him regain his memories, and learn what has happened to them.** " Xulxu said.

"But what will happen to  _me_? I mean the  _me_  me that I am right now?" Martouf asked.

" **That person will disappear, presumable eventually become a memory. Why do you mind? That is not who you are.** "

"It sure feels as if it is right now!" Martouf exclaimed. "I'm sorry, but I don't know if I can do that."

" **It will happen anyway. The block will dissolve. Lantash will again be able to talk to you and take control - and he will help you remember, that which you have not already come to remember. Surely this is what you wish? You are Tok'ra. You are a willing host. Do you not wish to return to the fight against the Goa'uld?** " Xulxu asked.

"I... yes, yes, I suppose I do." Martouf looked pained. "I just need time...to get used to it."

" **Of course. Martouf, you should take the rest of today and relax, get accustomed to it all.** " Malek said, wanting to reassure his friend. The friend he really missed and was unhappy didn't even remember him.

"Thank you." Martouf nodded. "I'd like that."

* * *

"I'm sorry about all of this." Sam said.

"I know. It's not your fault. I don't know who is at fault, but when I find out - if I find out...I am going to punish them!" Martouf exclaimed, with more fury than he usually expressed.

"I can't say I blame you." Sam gave him a weak smile. "And I promise you I will help you, if there is any way I can."

"Thank you." He took her hands in his. They were quiet for some time, just sitting there. Then Martouf spoke again. "What worries me most in all this...no, what scares me...it's not even losing who I am. Yes, that too, but part of me realizes this  _personality_  is just that. An act. Someone I pretend to be. I just wonder why I decided to be an actor from Earth." He smiled wryly. "What scares the living hell out of me is the thought of how I will react when I - for a short time - is back to only remembering what I remembered before that Goa'uld shot me. When I am again the actor JR Bourne...and the block that stops Lantash from talking to me and taking control...when that block goes away. I am afraid how I will react. I will panic, I'm sure...and...Lantash...he is my friend, but I don't remember him. How will he think? What if he thinks I am rejecting him? That I no longer like him?"

"Martouf, relax. I am sure Lantash realizes that you would not be yourself, and he will understand you are not angry with him. That you are just not yourself. I'm sure he will help you through it all." Sam said, understanding his worry. In a way, it would be for him, like it had been for Sam, when Jolinar took her as host. She knew nothing about the Tok'ra, and just panicked, and fought the symbiote, to no avail. It had been a terrifying experience. She wondered how it had been for Jolinar? A Tok'ra, used to a willing host.

"I am not very entertaining company. I should go." Martouf said.

"No, please. Stay with me. You should not be alone right now. Why don't we see a movie or something? Get your mind off all of this?"

Martouf took a deep breath, then nodded. "You're right. I shouldn't be thinking about this the whole time. It's just making it worse. In a way, I would have preferred they treated me immediately, instead of having to wait.

* * *

Sam smiled at Martouf, who sat beside her in the base's small movie theater. They were watching '28 days later' - a zombie/horror film, taking place in an apocalyptic Britain. Perhaps not the best film for relaxing, but that was what they were showing, and at least it took Martouf's mind of his own problems.

She leaned against him, and he smiled at her, then put his arm around her, pulling her closer to him. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling content for a few moments. Yes, it was selfish, with all the things Martouf was facing right now, but she just enjoyed having him back again...or at least she would soon have him back again, when he remembered who he was, and when Lantash was again able to surface.

Sam ignored the rest of the movie, despite the fact that it was one she had looked forward to watching. She could always get it on DVD later, if she wanted. No, this was more important. She had to figure out what she felt for the man - men - sitting beside her.

There was no doubt she felt something for them...and not just from Jolinar - or if it was, did it even matter? She sighed and breathed in deep, enjoying the faint scent from him. It was very pleasant.

When Martouf suddenly leaned towards her, she felt as if butterflies beat crazily in her stomach. Then he kissed her, and it was as wonderful as when he kissed her the day before.

The kiss was soft at first, then quickly became more passionate. Sam moaned softly against his mouth, and threw her arms around him, returning the kiss.

They kissed for several long moments before he - almost reluctantly - let go. He caressed her cheek. "I do not want to forget you - but I cannot imagine I ever could."

Sam looked at him, her heart still beating like crazy, and her mind feeling befuddled. The only thing that was clear to her right now was that she loved him!


	9. Lantash

The next day.

Martouf was in the infirmary, where he was going to be treated by the Tok'ra healers. Janet and several other doctors and nurses from the SGC would be watching, since this was a good opportunity to learn something about Tok'ra medicine.

The were going to inject a drug that would be attracted to the material that had been used to make the block, that kept Lantash from taking control or speaking to Martouf. The molecules of the drug would bond with the molecules in the block, creating a material that were receptive to a specific wavelength of a device the Tok'ra would be using. The block would dissolve, without harming Martouf or Lantash, but it was necessary to do it slowly, so his blood could transport away the material.

The only side-effect of the treatment would be a small amount of amnesia - Martouf would forget what had happened during the last 4-5 days, or at most a week. Those memories might or might not be possible to recover, but that was of less importance, since with the block gone, Lantash could repair any remaining damage from the zatarc programming, and help Martouf remember everything else he had forgotten.

Sam was waiting outside the room, pacing the floor, very nervous. She had talked with Martouf until late in the evening, and then he had walked her back to her room, and kissed her goodnight. She had considered asking him to come inside, but she had decided it was better to wait until he was himself again. Right now she was regretting that decision.

"Relax, Sammie." Jacob said. "Xulxu and the others know what they are doing. Martouf and Lantash will be fine."

Sam nodded. "I want to believe that...and I do. It's just..." She shook her head. "I thought they were dead, and...and I had missed them. Mourned then...and now...it turns out they are alive. But right now they are not the Martouf and Lantash I know, and I so very much want them to be. I really hope all will be well, and they will be all right, but I am just so worried that something will go wrong anyway. Do you understand?"

Jacob sighed. "Yes, I do understand. We have all missed Martouf and Lantash. It's really a miracle to have them back. I still don't understand how they can be alive, but I'm guessing we'll know when Martouf has his memory back - and Lantash can take control again, so we can talk to him."

"Yes..." Sam was quiet for a long time, and the silence was dragging.

"Sam?" Jacob called her attention.

"Yeah, what is it, dad?"

"Are you in love with him?"

Sam looked at her dad. She hadn't expected him to ask her that! "Um, you mean Martouf?" She said, stalling.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course I mean Martouf!"

"Ah. Um, I like him. I like him a lot...maybe more than..."

They were interrupted by the door to the infirmary opening, and Janet stepping out, with Xulxu and Malek following.

" **The treatment was successful. The last parts of the block are dissolving now, and Lantash should be able to talk to Martouf within an hour, and take control in approximately 2 hours.** " Malek informed them, looking relieved, but tired.

"That's good news!" Jacob smiled.

"Very." Sam agreed, looking tense. "What about Martouf? How much does he remember? Can I see him?"

"When he woke up, he again thought he was this actor... JR Bourne." Janet told her. "I told him he was in the hospital, being treated for a head injury - which is, in a way, true. We gave him a mild sedative, so he should sleep until Lantash can start helping him to remember. Of course, I'm not sure how effective our drugs are. They weren't very effective when Lantash only had basic access to healing and filtering - now when he has soon full access again, the drug may wear off much sooner."

"But... have you warned him that he's got a symbiote in his head? How do you think he'll react otherwise, when Lantash talks to him?" Sam exclaimed.

" **We are hoping he will remain asleep until Lantash can take control and put him to sleep - and keep him that way until he has repaired enough of Martouf's memory that he remembers being a host. That way will be much less confusing for him.** " Xulxu said.

Sam shook her head, worriedly. She really hoped they were right, and that Martouf would remain asleep until Lantash was ready to fix his memory!

* * *

Martouf POV

He woke up slowly, feeling very groggy. He opened his eyes, and did not recognize the place... Where was he? Some hospital... because he had a head injury... wasn't that what the nice doctor had said?

That probably explained why his head felt... strange. He sat up, carefully, but his head did not hurt, not did he feel dizzy or nauseous. That was something, at least. He looked around - he was alone in a smallish room, with the light dampened. He decided he needed to use the restroom, and spotting two doors, he decided to find out if one of them lead to a restroom.

He stood up, swaying slightly, but he did not fall. Satisfied, he randomly picked one of the doors and walked to it, opening it. He smiled to himself, seeing he had picked the right one.

* * *

Feeling better, he decided he better find one of the doctors or nurses and tell them that he was awake, and feeling fine. He had looked at himself in the mirror, and had been unable to see any signs of a head wound. No bandage, no blood - all looked normal. Perhaps he had just bumped his head, and they had admitted him to a hospital because he had been unconscious? But shouldn't he at least have a tender spot somewhere on his head then.

It was all very strange. Then suddenly things got a lot stranger, as a voice spoke to him.

~ **You have no injuries. I took care of them a long time ago.** ~

"Eh, thank you?" Martouf looked around him, seeing no one. "Who is speaking?"

~ **I am. I am Lantash... but you clearly don't remember that, do you?** ~ The voice sounded tired, exasperated.

"Where are you?"

The voice sighed softly. ~ **In your head, Martouf... and you don't need to speak out loud.** ~

"In my _head_? How can you be in my head?" Martouf felt himself panic. He must have hit his head harder than he though! Was he going crazy?

~ **I should not have spoken. This is too confusing for you. I regret I do not yet have full access to your body, so I can neither take control yet, nor help you to relax and sleep, until I can help you remember. I apologize, Martouf.** ~

"This is insane! And my name is not Martouf!" He yelled, ripping the door to the rest if the infirmary open and running out.

A couple of the nurses had heard him, and where running to him. "Stop! You're not allowed to leave yet!"

"What have you done to me? Did you put a transmitter in my head, or something?" He suddenly felt certain the people in this place was up to no good. He vaguely remembered these people - and what more, he remembered people shooting at him! He needed to get out of here!

He pushed the nurses aside and found the door out from the infirmary and looked around frantically, trying to find a way out. He ran for the elevator, hitting the button to call it there. The doors opened seconds later, but nothing happened when he hit the first few buttons. He saw a card reader, and realized he probably needed a card to operate the elevator.

He pushed the button to open the elevator doors again, and when he left, he saw that the nurses had called two guards to help. Desperate, he ran through the corridors, and spotting a sign saying 'exit', he opened that.

He found himself in a staircase, and he could see that there were a lot of stairs below, but even more above. Thinking about it only briefly, he started running up. The voice in his head kept talking all through this, telling him to relax, and that the nurses and guards did not want to hurt him, but help him. He ignored the voice, and ran, as fast as he could, up the stairs.

The guards were following, and he soon realized he would not be able to continue outrunning them. It was probably only a matter of time before more guards arrived, coming down towards him - those nurses were bound to have called for even more backup.

He made a decision and open the door to one of the floors and hurried through it. He found himself in an empty corridor. A split seconds indecision, and then he picked a direction and ran, hoping to find a place to hide.

He had been on floor 21 before, and this was up six floors, so he was on floor 19. There was a lot of doors, and after running down the corridor and turning a couple times, he picked a door and tried it.

Locked, of course. He tried several more, and they were all locked. Finally, he found a door that was not locked, and got inside - what turned out to be a large storage room.

Looking around, he found a place to hide - behind lots of sacks and crates. He pulled a few of them on top of each other, to be better hidden, and then sat down, being very quiet.

The door opened moments later, and he kept very silent, hoping they would not detect him.

* * *

"Major Carter?" A guard said behind her.

She turned. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"The Tok'ra Martouf has awaken and has escaped from the infirmary. We are searching for him, but General Hammond believes it would be a good idea that you talk to him when we find him."

"Escaped?" Sam asked, realizing what had happened. "Why do the idiots never listen to me?" She mumbled to herself. Loudly, she said. "I'm coming." She followed the guard.


	10. Some Progress

Martouf POV

He looked up as the door opened again. He had thought perhaps he was safe, when the guards had left, but maybe they had seen him and just gone for backup?

But why would they do that? He was one man - albeit clearly a mentally disturbed man, so perhaps that was why? They was afraid of what he would do?  _Or_  had they implanted something...some sort of communication device...or control device, in his head?

He had a number of images flash past, that made absolutely no sense to him. A large ring, with something splashing out from it. Water? Then he walked through it! He shook his head. Insanity!

"Martouf?" A female voice called.

~ **Samantha!** ~ The voice in his head said. The voice calling itself Lantash.

Martouf peeked a look, seeing a young woman with short blond hair. She was wearing a uniform, like that of the guards. She was beautiful. He felt he recognized her. That could be good or bad. Could he trust her?

"Martouf, it's me, Major Samantha Carter. Samantha. Don't you remember me?" Quiet for some time, then. "I know you're in here. Why don't you come out? I'm not going to harm you."

Martouf sighed. "MY name isn't Martouf! I'm JR Bourne."

The woman hesitated. "JR, then. You  _can_  trust me!"

"How do I know I can trust you?" He shouted.

"We're friends!"

"So you say! I don't remember that, and you clearly don't even know my name...also, what about the others?"

"They won't harm you. Besides, I promise I'll protect you against them."

The woman calling herself Samantha slowly walked closer.

~ **You can trust her. She is speaking the truth.** ~ Lantash said. ~ **Your name _is_  Martouf!**~

Suddenly, a new memory flashed through Martouf's head, and he collapsed to his knees. He saw a room - with the same ring in that he had walked through. The same, but different, and in another room. No, the other time...it hadn't been in a room. It had been outside. He had entered the room through it?

Inside the room, a lot of people were yelling at him. They were shooting at him! Then...the woman... _Samantha_...she shot him. He sank to the ground, in terrible pain...but the pain had started before, from the others shooting. Someone yelled inside his head? It was chaos. As the world disappeared around him, he felt Samantha catch him. Part of him felt safe, then all went black, and he felt nothing more.

He gasped loudly, and returned to the present. The same woman was standing above him, looking down at him with a worried expression. "Martouf? Are you all right?"

Panicking, he got up and pushed her aside. "Sorry." He called out, running. He couldn't let them catch him! If his memories were correct, she had shot him! Many of them had!

How was he not dead? Why did he not have scars from the bullet wounds? He knew some of the attackers had used guns, even if Samantha had been using a weird weapon that sent out some sort of blue energy, that causing intense pain. How had he survived?

~ **I'm sorry.** ~ The voice in his head said, and suddenly he felt himself 'pushed' aside, and he could not move, could not talk, or do anything. His body did not respond to his commands. However, it seemed to move on its own!

~What is going on!~ He thought, unable to do anything else. He felt himself panic, then an unnatural calm fell over him, as if imposed from the outside.

~ **I will explain later, beloved.** ~

He felt as he was caressed and hugged, then his body kept doing things without his command.

* * *

Sam POV

She picked herself up from the floor where she had fallen when Martouf had pushed her, and turned to look after him in shock. His eyes had been wild! As if he was terrified! What was going on? Why was he afraid of her?

He must have had a flash of memory, or something - she recognized the reaction from herself, when he had gasped and fallen to his knees. She had sometimes experienced equally strong memory flashes from Jolinar. Perhaps he was starting to remember again, then. That would be good - but obviously confusing. Was that why he had thought she was the enemy?

Because while he had seemed wary before, he had not seemed panicked. What had he remembered about her? She had never done anything to harm him.

Except when she had killed him, shot him with a zat! Could he have remembered that? But they said those memories were definitely gone. Could part of them still be there? That would be confusing! Why was that the first he remembered?

Hopefully, Lantash would soon help Martouf.

Just as Sam thought that, she saw Martouf stop abruptly, just at the door out. He stood, partially turned, for a few moments, with his head lowered, then he raised it, and his eyes flashed. Lantash!

Sam felt incredible relief. Lantash could take control again, meaning the block was fully gone. He would be able to talk to Martouf - and that had likely caused Martouf to panic also, she realized. But most important, Lantash - if he had his memory and was himself - would be able to stop Martouf from doing something unfortunate while he was not himself, and would be able to help Martouf remember.

"Lantash?" Sam asked. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, and walked towards her. " **Yes, I am well, Samantha. I apologize for the problems Martouf has been causing. He is not to blame. If only I had been able to overcome the block earlier, none of these problems would have happened."** He sighed. **"Martouf does not remember me, or who he is. He was panicking, and trying to fight me. I very much do not enjoy keeping control against his wishes, but right now I have no choice, however much it disgusts me.** "

"Don't blame yourself for anything - and right now you're only doing what you have to do. How is Martouf?" Sam asked, stepping up close to Lantash and looking at him, a worried expression on her face.

" **I have released calming chemicals, and he is...better. He is yelling at me, though. However, I _will_  not suppress him! If you would take me to a holding cell, perhaps, where we will be safe, then I shall give him back control. I believe it will calm him. I will then do my utmost to help him remember, as quickly as possible.**"

Sam nodded. "I understand, though do you really think a holding cell is necessary?"

" **Until Martouf's memory returns, he may try to escape. Yes, I can stop him, but I do not enjoy taking control from him and forcing him to do something against his wishes, however misguided they are at the moment."**

"Okay - well, then. Come. I'll take you to a holding cell, and tell dad and Malek that you're okay. They are here with a group of Tok'ra."

" **Thank you. Also, I have important information about what happened to Martouf and I. However, you must not tell anyone but Malek and Jacob - there are those that cannot be trusted, and I do not know who else is here. Martouf's memories of almost all but his experiences as 'JR Bourne', are currently inaccessible.** "

"I'll make sure only dad and Malek gets to talk to you." Sam promised. "The only other one here right now is Xulxu."

Lantash nodded slowly. " **I believe Xulxu can be trusted as well. Pel'han and Ren'al cannot, though, and they would both have access to information from the healers. Ren'al has other friends, who may or may not cooperate with her, and certainly will protect her."**

"I think Selmak found out about that. Ren'al  _will_  be punished - Selmak promised that. Pel'han disapperared, and are maybe killed."

" **Good, then perhaps all will be well.** " He frowned.

Sam glanced at him. There was clearly more to this story, but whether he didn't want to talk of it now, or whether he needed time to remember it all, she didn't know.

* * *

They had walked to the holding cell, and she opened the door, letting him in. Two guards followed them. Sam turned to them. "You don't need to follow us into the holding cell room. Lantash can be trusted.

They nodded. "Understood. Call us if you need us."

Sam and Lantash entered the room, and she opened the first holding cell. She sighed. "Here you go, Lantash. I'll make sure Malek and Selmak come here as quickly as possible...and you tell us immediately you feel Martouf can be trusted, and then we'll let you out immediately."

" **I will. Thank you, Samantha.** "

Sam was quiet for a moment. "Lantash - you have no idea how happy I am to see you. I trust you - I  _know_  you will fix Martouf."

He nodded. " **Thank you for trusting me. I promise, will do all I can.** " He stepped into the holding cell.

Just as she was about to lock the door, Sam made a sudden decision. She had hid her feelings for too long - for herself, and for them. She had more or less admitted to Martouf that she loved them, but he didn't remember, and Lantash didn't know. Whatever else happened now, she didn't want to wait - she wanted them to know.

She leaned forward and grabbed hold of him. Pulling him close, she kissed him, softly, but with much love. Then she whispered into his ear. "I want you to know that...that I have realized...I love you and Martouf."

Lantash smiled, a happy and very surprised expression on his face. He pulled her in for another kiss, before letting go of her, clearly reluctantly. " **Thank you for telling me. I love you too - and so does Martouf, as soon as he remember. This will only make me more ardent to succeed in helping Martouf remember, now when I know what waits for us.** "


	11. Why? How?

~ **Martouf, please relax. She only wishes to help us... she loves us, and we love her.** ~ Lantash added the last part with both wonder and elation.

Martouf 'snorted' mentally. ~If you believe her you're a fool! A lovesick fool. Besides, I don't love her - I don't even know her! She tried to shoot us! No, she  _did_  shoot us!~

They were following Sam to the infirmary, where they would meet Jacob and Malek. Martouf was so focused on his memories of Sam shooting them, and so convinced it was all a trap with the people at the SGC being the enemy, that he was not even complaining about 'the voice in his head' or that it had taken control of his body. The voice - Lantash - had been fairly reasonable, and apologetic, besides, for some reason he felt relaxed. Maybe drugged? He was about to get angry of that, when he felt a wave of calm. No, Lantash was not the enemy - but why did he allow himself to be fooled by the blond woman? Lovesick fool!

~ **Unfortunately, I remember no more from that time than you do. It's all vague and confused, but I am working on repairing our memories. I do, however, remember enough to know that she shot us because she had to. We had been brainwashed and were trying to kill their leader!** ~

~Brainwashed? Who had brainwashed us? Wait, us?~

~ **Yes, us. We were both there. I've told you several times I am your symbiote and have been with you for nearly 20 years, since you were barely an adult. You are a willing host.** ~

~Why would I agree to share my mind with someone else?~

~ **You and many others from your world had been captured. You were to be made hosts to Goa'uld - the children of a Goa'uld queen. I, and some other Tok'ra, were there, undercover. I was wounded when another Goa'uld attacked - that is, my host was wounded. I couldn't heal him, and you agreed to be my host. You saved my life, and you avoided becoming host to a Goa'uld. You were also enamored by the young woman who became host to my mate.** ~

~What are Tok'ra and Goa'uld? And I still became a host! If it's true you're in my head!~

Lantash sighed and began to explain the difference between Goa'uld and Tok'ra.

* * *

" **I have finished the scan, and I tell you that the block - as you have discovered - is completely gone.** " Malek said. " **There is still damage to Martouf's brain, which is causing the memory loss, and there is also a small amount of damage to Lantash's brain, causing the memories just around the time they were shot, to be confusing and incomplete. Everything else should be accessible.** "

"But you will help Martouf, right?" Sam asked.

" **Of course, Samantha. When I have finished explaining what I know to Malek and Jacob, I will return to the room that has been set aside for us, and heal the damage to Martouf's brain. I am confident he should regain all or almost all his memories.** "

Sam looked relieved. "Thank you."

"Now, could you explain why you only want Malek and me to hear what you have to say?" Jacob asked.

" **Of course.** " Lantash nodded. " **I will begin from the start, as the story is somewhat involved..." He was quiet for a moment, considering how to begin. "About two weeks before the ceremony that was to take place at the SGC, to officially sign the treaty between the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri, Martouf and I happened to see the healer's assistant Pel'han, talk with Shivka and Pollark. They did not notice us, and not wanting to interfere, we were on our way to leave, when to our great surprise, Pel'han addressed Pollark as _Cordesh_!** "

" **He did what?** " Malek exclaimed.

"You must have heard wrong!" Jacob said, shocked.

Lantash shook his head. " **I thought so as well, then, but I no longer think so. Martouf and I discussed it, and thinking about it, we realized that was who Pollark had reminded us of - Cordesh. The times we had talked to Pollark, she had seemed very different, not like the personality we were used to. She - or rather he - tried to hide it, but I am certain now. It was Cordesh. Remember, Pel'han was one of those that assisted in the removal of Cordesh, together with Pollark and Zilk.** "

" **If that is true, then Cordesh wasn't killed. He just got a new host - Petka, Pollark's host!** " Malek said, looking disturbed.

" **Yes, and Pel'han may be a Goa'uld infiltrator. I do not know about Zilk. Either he was brainwashed, or he too was a traitor... maybe he still is. We all thought he was killed when he was 'discovered' by the System Lord Cronus he was undercover with, but what if he just escaped because they feared he would be discovered by us? Or what if he was returned in someone else's host? Shivka was missing around that time, but managed to 'escape' and became even more antagonistic after that.** "

" **This outrage must be examined further!** " Malek exclaimed.

"If our healers have been compromised, then I can understand why you wouldn't want any of them present!" Jacob said.

" **Exactly. I do not know who can be trusted - some of the healers are compromised - and some of the Council members."** He sighed. **"Regardless. Martouf and I decided to investigate. We kept an eye on 'Pollark', Pel'han, and 'Shivka'. They met again, with Tanith included in the meeting this time, and talked about how they had 'successfully implemented stage 2 of something.' They saw us, but we pretended to have just arrived, and asked if they had seen Anise, since she had been looking for us. They appeared to believe us, but we soon realized they did not. The next day, we were sent on a mission to gather some medicinal plants for the healers, and alone on that world, we were suddenly shot by a zat'nik'tel. When I woke up, we were inside some kind of building, and lying tied up and face down on a platform. Pel'han and 'Shivka' were there and Pel'han used some kind of instrument on me and the back of Martouf's head. It hurt, and after a few moments we both lost consciousness. When I woke up I could neither talk to Martouf, nor take control, though I was able to sense and experience everything he did. This was the day before we left for the summit at the SGC. Martouf behaved normally towards people, and I am guessing he felt normal, except for one thing - he at no point tried to talk to me, which is very _very_  unusual. We usually talk a lot.**"

Malek nodded. " **Very strange, and scary. They must have done something to make Martouf not wonder about you, in addition to the other brainwashing and the device that blocked you off. I suppose it had to be done that way, if you want to brainwash just one of a symbiote-host pair - at least if it is the host that is brainwashed, as the symbiote would otherwise be able to take control.** "

"Were you able to experience everything that happened when the zatarc-programming activated?" Jacob wondered.

Lantash nodded. " **Yes, everything up to the point where Samantha shot us with that second zat'nik'tel blast. That somehow shorted out the programming, I believe, but did not remove the block."** He was quiet for a moment. **"There was some trauma to both our brains from energy transferred from the zat'nik'tel shot, so much of my memories from that period of time is...unclear and incomplete, but I remember enough. It was intensely traumatic, experiencing it all. Unable to do anything. Unable to take control. I knew something was horribly wrong - my beloved host was ignoring me, then suddenly starting to shoot people - and I could do nothing to stop him. Very little to block his pain, but I could start to heal him just a little." He closed his eyes. "I do not wish this experience on anyone, not even the worst of my enemies.** "

Sam walked up to him and put an arm around him, giving him a squeeze. He threw his arms around her and hugged her hard to him, drawing strength from her nearness.

"Do you want to take a break?" Sam asked.

Lantash shook his head. " **No, it is important that I rely this story. Now when it may get known in the tunnels that Martouf and I are alive, and starting to remember, the traitors that are still there may learn of it, and there is no way of knowing what they will do to endanger the Tok'ra.** "

He walked over and took a glass of water and drank it, before sitting down on a chair.

"Just take your time." Sam said, giving him a bleak smile. She was feeling very sorry for him and Martouf.

He nodded. " **I am ready to continue.** " He smiled at her. " **I have a vague memory of you holding us, when we had fallen.** "

Sam nodded, getting tears in her eyes. "Shooting you was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I am so sorry."

" **Do not be. It was necessary.** " He took a deep breath. " **After that, I was unconscious. In stasis, probably? The first I remember was waking up in the healers room. Martouf was unconscious...nearly dead, I think. The block stopping me from taking control must have been damaged and had disintegrated a tiny bit, so I could heal Martouf a little more than just what I do instinctively. I immediately began to heal him, but with the block there, I would almost certainly fail.** "

"You survived, though." Sam said.

" **Yes. Anise was in the room when I woke up, and when she realized I was awake, but could not take control, she gave me a brief summary of what had happened, while she was working with a healing device. Together, we managed to heal most of the damage to Martouf's body, though I believe I passed out from the exhaustion. I do not know how much later it was when I woke up again, but now Pel'han, and Ren'al were in the room with Anise. Anise was yelling at the two others, then left, on some mission I belive Ren'al was sending her on.** " Lantash told them.

" **Yes, Anise mentioned that she was being taken off her zatarc research and your treatment - probably because she was not willing to go along with Pel'han and the others. Ren'al must have listened to Pel'han since he was her lover. I wonder why they did not just brainwash Anise?** " Malek wondered.

" **Maybe they did not have the opportunity. Anise can be very suspicious, and she almost never goes offworld, at least not alone.** " Lantash said. He sighed. " **Anyway. While I was awake, I was too weak to speak, and they did not realize I was hearing what they said. Pel'han and Ren'al was discussing removing me, since they were afraid that Martouf and I would survive, and remember enough to compromise their conspiracy. Martouf was almost healed, but might not survive the added shock of my removal - especially not since I was likely to fight said removal. That might give them an excuse to pretend I had died as well.** " Lantash said, very angrily.

Malek shook his head, shocked. " **No...that means Ren'al was lying to us. Why? Is she brainwashed or has she been switched out for a traitor?** "

"Regardless - she knows about Martouf and Lantash being alive, and that you are suspicious." Sam pointed out. "And she's clearly involved in the conspiracy."

"Right. We need to send someone to arrest her, immediately!" Jacob agreed, sternly. "You are saying Anise can be trusted?"

" **Yes.** " Lantash said.

"Then I'll go tell her about Ren'al, and after that I'll return here." Jacob left quickly.

"Why don't we take a short break until dad is back?" Sam suggested. She went to stand beside Lantash, and gave him a smile, then put her arm around him, lending support and telling him she was there for him and Martouf.


	12. Explanations

"Ready to begin again?" Sam asked when they were all back in the briefing room again.

" **Yes, we are."**  Lantash said, taking a deep breath. It was obvious he was not enjoying the situation.  **"I have managed to repair more of Martouf's memories, and he is starting to remember. Not all, yet, and he is still very confused, but he is getting better."**

"That is wonderful to hear." Sam smiled. Getting serious again, she turned to her dad. "Has Ren'al been arrested?"

Jacob shook his head. "No. I talked to Anise, and we agreed that she would keep an eye on her, and if she was doing anything dangerous, she will stop her. For now it is better if the other traitors think we don't know anything - or at least not know  _who_  are to blame. It would be better if we could capture them all, and we are not certain who they all are, or who is behind it. Are we?"

" **We do know several that are** _ **probably**_ **involved."**  Lantash looked thoughtful. " **Aside from Ren'al, there is Pollark - who is likely Cordesh. Shivka is likely either a Goa'uld spy or brainwashed. Thinking about it, I suspect Zilk is still alive, even if Pel'han** _ **may**_ **be killed. Zilk - or whatever Goa'uld is pretending to be him - may still have some hold over certain Tok'ra, even from where he is hiding. Probably at Cronus's court."**

**"You do not think Pel'han is dead?"**

**"No, since Martouf and I were obviously still possible to revive, Pel'han** _ **did**_ **give the Goa'uld what he wanted. Us."**  Lantash frowned. " **My memories of that time is unclear. I believe I vaguely remember Pel'han taking us from the tunnels. He had given us a drug of some kind, and at any rate; I could still not take control fully and Martouf was unconscious. I woke up from time to time. Pel'han and someone else...** _ **maybe**_ **Zilk, helped carry me. It was dark, so it must have been at night. I think there were others nearby - at least I sense naquadah signatures, I think."**

"Let's hope that just means Pollark... Cordesh, Ren'al, and maybe Shivka. I have checked, and there is no record of who was on guard that night. Which is suspicious in itself." Jacob sighed. "We may have greater problems than we thought. I wonder just  _how_  many Tok'ra are involved - brainwashed or switched out for Goa'uld." He looked worried and disgusted at the thought of people he had trusted and believed to be friends, that may have been Goa'uld or traitors. Or just brainwashed, he and Selmak reminded themselves. That meant they were innocent and could be helped. "Anise will attempt to get to take tissue or blood samples of everyone she can, and compare to what is on record. If the records can be trusted. Then we may know who has been switched out at least."

" **Even if the records have been compromised, there may be a way to tell if they are who they say they are. All involved - except Cordesh - are children of Egeria."** Lantash said.

"So you can make a test for  _her_  DNA! Of course!" Sam exclaimed. "And compare to that and see who a symbiote's mother is."

" **Yes. Exactly."**

"Okay, then we must just hope Anise can find an excuse to test everyone." Sam said.

"She is currently testing a Goa'uld knock-out gas, and trying to find an antidote. She will insist she needs to do a large scale test, and inject a lot of people with the antidote and then expose them to the knock-out gas." Jacob told them. "Selmak voted in favour of it, as did Garshaw and Per'sus and a few others that trusts Selmak's word. This should give Anise an opportunity to not just inject them, put take a sample at the same time. She is just now working on making a specific injector which will take a tissue sample as well."

"Okay, but how will she convince the Tok'ra she needs to inject it into the symbiote? Or does she needs to do that with this antidote?"

"Normally not, but in this case it is an anti-dote to a Goa'uld drug, that has been made specifically to work on symbiotes too. Anise will say that in this early version of her test, she needs to inject the symbiote also. Otherwise, she could just look at the cells from the symbiote, that are in the hosts blood."

"Of course. Like I have protein markers and also some cells from Jolinar floating around in my blood. There is always some mixing when you have another lifeform in you." Sam realized.

" **Could we return to what happened to Lantash and Martouf?"**  Malek asked, somewhat impatiently.

" **Of course."** Lantash sighed. " **When they had taken me through the chaapa'ai, I became unconscious for some time. When I woke up, there were Jaffa around me, and I was being carried on a world that was in daylight. I drifted in and out of consciousness, and the next I remember clearly is being inside a room with stone walls. Someone was standing nearby, but outside my field of vision. I could not move, but I felt the energy signature. Then Pel'han and..."**  he frowned. " **Zilk... and two others... Goa'uld... that I do not know... they approached me, discussing what to do. How to best use me against the Tok'ra. They considered brainwashing us completely - turning me into a Goa'uld."**  Lantash shuddered. " **Then Pel'han said it would be impossible to convince them Martouf and I were suddenly alive, because he had already convinced Ren'al that she should create a clone Lantash - and to tell the other Tok'ra that I had been removed and that Martouf had died and they had performed an autopsy."**

Sam put her hand on Lantash's arm. He was obviously distressed over all of this. "I'm very glad you're alive, and here with us."

Lantash sent her a grateful smile, then continued his explanation. " **Eventually they decided to put a complete suppression block on me, and brainwash Martouf. They then intended to use him to spread misinformation about the Tok'ra, and eventually send him to Stargate Command, telling them that he had gotten away from the Tok'ra who had been mistreating him and all other hosts, and lied to the Tau'ri, telling them he was dead. The Goa'uld hoped that would destroy the rest of the trust and finally the alliance between the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri."**

**"** Their plan obviously didn't quite succeed. What happened?" Sam asked.

" **At first it worked, partially. At least from what I have been able to learn from the memories I have repaired in Martouf's brain. I was completely blocked, by that organic device that is now finally broken down. I could not even sense anything! I only had enough of a connection to Martouf that I would stay alive myself, that I could tell he was alive, and do some basic healing. I could keep him young and free of most diseases, as well as heal minor injuries, but that was all. It was horrible. I could not talk to my beloved host, not help him, not sense the world around me...** _ **nothing**_ **! It was as close to hell as I could imagine, and I believe that was part of why Pel'han and the others let me stay in Martouf. They hate the Tok'ra and wanted to punish me in this way. Of course, that also meant they had a stronger and healthier agent."**

"Oh, that's horrible!" Sam exclaimed.

Malek and Jacob looked horrified as well. There was little the symbiotes feared more than being completely helpless - and unable to help their host. It was the worst for both their instinctual selves and for the Tok'ra part.

" **Time passed, and I believe Martouf went on some of the missions the Goa'uld wanted him to, spreading misinformation. Then, we were sent on a ship. I felt the hyperdrive acceleration. Some sort of accident must have happened, because I felt us fall hard against something, and then there was a blinding flash - as if we were hit by a strong flash of energy. For a short moment I sensed Martouf's mind, and he felt confused. Then I was plunged back into darkness. When I woke up, we were cold, and from what I have found in Martouf's memories, we had probably gotten down on the world of the Tau'ri, and where in water. I believe the ship we was on must have been attacked, and been destroyed. We had somehow survived the crash into water, and I believe the flash of energy was the ship's shield giving out inside the atmosphere or after hitting the water. Shields can sometimes explode in a flash that travels through the whole ship."** Lantash told them.

**"** We better have someone look for that ship - and anyone else that might have survived the crash." Sam said, worried.

"Yeah, that would probably be best." Jacob looked worried. "Lantash, you look tired. We should take a break, perhaps for the rest of the day, and then I'll inform Hammond. We have to await for what Anise finds also. Do you know anything about where you crashed?"

Lantash thought it over for some time. " **Probably not far from the coast of the country you call Canada. I believe Martouf swam ashore. The brainwashing of him was gone, but so was his memory - he seems to have locked onto some combination of an undercover identity we once used, and some part of** _ **my**_ **personality that had somehow leaked through during the brief moment our minds were again connected."**

"And that, by coincidence, created the person JR Bourne, actor from Earth." Sam concluded.

Lantash nodded. " **Yes."**

"Okay. Sam - take Lantash somewhere and get something to eat and relax. I'll have Hammond check if there has been any crashes near the coast of Canada, and when." Jacob told them.

* * *

"I'm afraid they won't let you off base until they're certain you're yourself - and that there's no one out there ready to catch you or somehow... program you again, or whatnot." Sam said, apologetically.

" **I understand."**  Lantash smiled at her, looking a little tired.

"I'm kind of hungry - what about you two?"

" **We are hungry as well."**  Lantash sighed. " **I apologize, Samantha, but Martouf is still being somewhat... unreasonably, when it comes to you. While he is starting to believe most of what I explained, he still believe you are... untrustworthy."**

**"** Because I shot you guys. Believe me, I do understand him. I blame myself as well. There  _must_  have been another way!"

He shook his head. " **I am not sure there was, and certainly none you could have found at that time. You did the only thing you could do, and for that we are thankful. From what I understand, Martouf begged you to shoot him."**

~Lies! Lantash, they have lied to you about that! Why would I ask her to kill us? ~ Martouf insisted.

~ **You were out of options and trusted Samantha to stop us from destroying ourselves. Had she not done what she did, there would not have been any way we could have survived. In a way, she saved us. ~**

~Perhaps...I still think you are a lovesick fool... and I fear your emotions are affecting me. ~ Martouf sounded rueful.

~ **It is unavoidable. Our relationship is truly symbiotic, and we love as one. Now, Martouf, Samantha is waiting for me to say something, I believe. I will talk to her for a little longer, then we will go with her to their mess hall and eat, and then I will bid her goodnight. I need time to help you heal.**  ~

~You wish to spend time with her. ~

~ **Yes. I love her. Soon you will remember your love as well. Soon you will trust her again. She is our friend...hopefully soon she will be more. However, no one is more important to me than my host. You comes first, and tonight I will do my best to help you.**  ~

"Lantash?" Sam looked closely at him. "Are you talking to Martouf?"

Lantash nodded. " **Yes."**  He smiled at her, then put a hand on the small of her back. " **I am ready to accompany you to the mess hall now."**

* * *

They had eaten and talked, and now Sam had followed him to his quarters.

"You're sure you'll be fine on your own?" Sam asked, worried.

" **Very sure, Samantha. Martouf and I will talk, and I will work at healing the remaining damage to his brain - and mine. Soon we will be well again."**  He took her hand. " **Thank you for being here for us. You are a true friend. More, perhaps, if you truly meant what you said before...when I had just regained control. if it wasn't just something you said to comfort us..."** He looked nervous.

Sam smiled at him, a little sadly. Of course he did not remember what she had talked to Martouf about, before the block had disappeared, but she had thought he would believe her when she told him she loved the both - when Lantash had taken control to stop Martouf from running away.

"Lantash...you and Martouf mean more to me than you can imagine. I am glad to be your friend, more relieved and grateful than you can imagine that you are alive, and back here with me again. I...would very much like...to get to know you better. What I told you...I meant it. Mean it. I realize we have a lot of things to figure out, but I do love you. both of you."

Lantash smiled widely. " **Thank you, Samantha."**  He pulled her close. " **I find myself impatient for the time when Martouf and I are completely ourselves again."**

Sam nodded, understanding. Lantash would never do anything that would cause Martouf distress, even if it was a distress that would go away when he was himself again. "We will...work on a relationship when Martouf remembers."

He hugged her again, then gave her a soft kiss. " **A sweet and wonderful prospect."**  He kissed her again, then sighed, clearly regretting they could not yet spend the night together. " **Good night, Samantha."**

"Good night, Lantash and Martouf. See you tomorrow."


	13. More Bad Surprises

Next day, Sam went to check on Martouf and Lantash as soon as she woke up, but they were not in their room. So she went to eat breakfast, and then to her lab, to continue her work.

It was just after noon, when someone knocked on her door.

"Come in." Sam said, distractedly, not looking up from the device she was studying.

"Samantha..." A voice said behind her - a very familiar voice.

Sam turned immediately, to see a bashful looking Martouf. "Martouf! You're feeling better?" She smiled widely and rose, stepping towards him.

"Yes, thank you. I remember who I am ... and have most of my memories back. I... Samantha, I apologize deeply for my reproachable behaviour yesterday. I blamed you for many things, when you were completely innocent."

"Martouf, I blame myself for shooting you. I tell myself there  _must_  have been another way, if I had just been able to find it."

He shook his head. "No, Samantha. Nothing that could have been done at that point, and no way you could have known. Please, do not blame yourself." He took her hand, "I know I do not deserve it, but will you forgive me for the things I said?"

"Of course, Martouf. I didn't blame you one moment!" Sam squeezed his hand.

"Thank you." He looked deeply relieved.

"Listen, I'm actually getting hungry. What do you say to taking a break and getting something to eat?"

"It sounds agreeable. We are hungry as well."

* * *

They ate a late lunch, and talked, and Sam found that Martouf was back to being himself. There may still be small holes in his memory, but he remembered most again, and his personality was the same. It was very much a relief.

When they had finished eating, Martouf looked around, a somewhat shy look on his face. There were no one sitting nearby. "Samantha...Lantash and I have talked, and he has shown me the memories of what he and you talked about...and that helps me see my memories from yesterday in the correct light." He took her hand. "You love us?" He seemed wondering, disbelieving, hopeful.

"Yes, Martouf." Sam smiled at him, blushing a little. "I do love you. Both of you. Lantash told me...that he loves me. Do you think you can come to love me too?"

Martouf smiled widely. "Oh, Samantha! Even if I did not, you know that Lantash and I love as one. I would quickly come to love you. However, as my memories came back, I knew I loved you, so you need not worry about that." He entwined his fingers with hers, then lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "You have no idea how happy you are making us."

"I'm very happy too, and so very relieved. To have you both back, alive and well, and yourselves...that is more than I could have ever hoped for."

Someone cleared their throat nearby, and they looked up.

"Cute." Jacob said, looking a bit stern. "Could you come to the briefing room? With the information we got from Lantash yesterday, we have found several things which will interest you. Martouf...we also hope you and Lantash can help us some more with clearing up what has happened."

"Of course."

* * *

Sam looked around the room. Aside from herself, Martouf/Lantash, and Jacob/Selmak, Hammond, Malek, and Freya/Anise were present.

"Lantash - and Martouf - before you continue your tale, I have a few pieces of information for all of you." Jacob said.

" **I have some important information as well.** " Anise added.

"Right." Jacob nodded. "Okay. First...Stargate Command and the Tok'ra have together searched the area Lantash mentioned, and a crashed alkesh has been found. It's fairly deep down, but also in an area that is somewhat less trafficked, so we'll attempt to raise it."

"That's great - maybe we'll get something from their computer, then." Sam said, looking pleased.

"Yes, we're hoping they will reveal the names of all the people involved."

" **I have examined all the people we suspected - as well as many others. They did not know I was taking samples of their code of life, though.** " Anise told them. She picked up a Tok'ra tablet computer and gave some commands to it. " **According to the results, 'Pollark' is indeed Cordesh, as we suspected. 'Zilk' is some symbiote I do not know, as is 'Shivka'. Ren'al is biologically the same person, so she may have been brainwashed. Delek is Delek - either brainwashed or just his own stupid. He isn't involved in anything really, so he may just have done as Ren'al told him. He has a soft spot for her, I suspect.** " Anise sighed. " **I also found that 'Suvikka' has been exchanged for a Goa'uld, but neither Teflorn nor Nivalkon.** "

The other Tok'ra present looked stunned. The scope of this was so much bigger than any of them had expected. " **We need to examine everyone.** " Malek insisted. " **There could be more lower ranking members of this conspiracy.** "

" **Agreed.** " Lantash said, shaking his head slowly. " **How could this have happened?** "

" **It is my belief that it started with Cordesh. He was brainwashed, and reported to his Goa'uld master, who turned or switched the Tok'ra they could get their hands on. Pel'han is deeply involved as well, of course, but he is with his Goa'uld master, so we cannot get to him. However, we will find all Tok'ra that are compromised, and then we will be on guard in the future.** "

"Um, what about Tanith?" Sam asked.

"He probably just joined the conspiracy when he realized it existed?" Jacob guessed.

" **In any case, we have learned enough that it is time for a large action. Since we do not know that no one else is involved, we need people we can trust - or who are at least not involved. Do you think Stargate Command will let us borrow some guards until everyone in the tunnels have been examined?** " Malek asked.

Jacob nodded slowly. "I would think so. It's in everyone's interested to solve this. I will talk to George as soon as we're finished with this meeting." He turned to Lantash. "You had more to tell of what happened to you?"

Lantash nodded. " **Yes, but I believe Martouf should explain. Since I was completely blocked during that time, I only know very little outside of what I have seen in Martouf's memories.** "

He bowed his head, giving Martouf control.

"First, I would like to apologize to you all, for the way I have been behaving..." Martouf began.

" **There is no need. You were not yourself.** " Malek said.

"I agree. Forget it." Jacob smiled at him.

Anise nodded at him as well. " **There is nothing to forgive.** "

Sam gave him a reassuring smile. "See?"

He smiled at them all, but brightest at Sam. "Yes, you are all very good friends, and I am very grateful I remember your friendship again." He was quiet for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "My memories of the time just after I had arrived in...  _Canada_  are fuzzy. But somehow I made my way to a city. In my pockets I had valuable jewellery, presumably because the Goa'uld had no access to Tau'ri currency, and wanted me to start my undercover life on your world as other than a beggar. Of course, that undercover personality they had created was gone, and as Lantash told you earlier, for some reason I thought I was an because being undercover means playing a role, so there are similarities."

"Sounds sensible." Jacob said.

Martouf nodded. "I sold the jewellery and bought clean clothing, and rented a place to stay. After a few days, I saw an advert, looking for people to be extras on a movie, and I was hired. Apparently I have some talent as an actor, so they asked me if I wanted to play a part in another movie they were making, and later that happened again, and again."

"Well, I think it's impressive you managed to handle yourself so well here on Earth! I would have thought it would be very difficult for an alien to fit in." Sam said.

"There were situations were I was confused, and didn't know what to do. I thought it was due to amnesia - from the accident that had placed me out at sea. I thought maybe I had been on a ship that had gone down."

"Neither of which was completely wrong." Jacob smiled.

"Very true." Martouf nodded. "Even so, there were a number of things which confused me... I was never sick, if I got a scratch it healed amazingly fast. I could tolerate a lot of alcohol... and then I had these odd memory flashes, of things, people, places... much of it made no sense, and did not seem to even be on this world."

"But you didn't suspect you were from another planet?" Sam asked.

"No, why would I? That's not the first you think of." He gave her one of his charming smiles. Then he suddenly frowned. "I... I remember something... I remember seeing Pel'han! He and one of the other Goa'uld were on the alkesh! They survived the crash!"

"When did you see them? Where?" Jacob looked very worried.

"About a month ago... in New York... in the airport." He frowned. "John F. Kennedy Airport. I remember sensing something strange... naquadah I realize now... and seeing them. I knew I had seen them before, and I felt a strange dread. For a moment I think I knew who they were and where I had seen them before, but then the memory was gone. I fled quickly, and I don't think they saw me, but they sense me, of course, and I saw them look for someone."

"We need to capture them!" Sam said. "Quickly! Who knows what they are up to!"

"Brainwashing people!" Martouf exclaimed. "I suddenly remember - that was why they were going here. They were going to infiltrate and brainwash your military and government!"

"That's horrible!" Sam gasped.

"They can't have gotten much from the ship - unless they managed to dive for it. At least it must have slowed them down. We must hope they didn't get their hands on the technology they brought, or at least only did it recently, or we are really in trouble." Jacob said.


	14. Hope and Happiness

When the meeting was over, Jacob had gone to talk to Hammond. Both to ask him for guards to send with him, Malek, and Anise to their Tok'ra base, but also to alert him to the danger with the two Goa'uld on the loose on Earth.

Martouf/Lantash would be staying on Earth, at Stargate Command, until all traitors and otherwise corrupted and brainwashed Tok'ra could be captured and/or treated.

"How do you feel? Do you need to go back to your quarters and lie down? Is Lantash still working on repairing your brain tissue?" Sam asked, worried.

Martouf smiled at her. "Do not be concerned, Samantha. We are both quite well. Aside from a small amount of missing or fuzzy memories, I am completely recovered. Lantash assures me of it, and I trust him completely, of course."

Sam smiled, relieved. "So do I. In that case..." Her smile turned mischievous. "Since neither the two of you, not I, are going to be sent out on any missions for the next couple days, would you like to take a short trip outside the base? I realize that you've seen quite a lot of Earth over the past year or so, but still. What do you say?"

"Lantash haven't seen much outside this base, except in my memories, and I have not seen it together with you." He took her hand. "We would both very much like to join you for such a trip."

"Great!" She squeezed his hand. "Then I'll just go arrange it with Hammond, and then we can get going!"

* * *

"What would you like to do? Take a walk in the park? Go to a restaurant? The movies?" Sam asked. "Or we can buy some food and rent a movie, then go to my place." She flushed a little, hoping he did not find that too forward.

"We would very much like to see your home, Samantha." Lantash said, using Martouf's voice.

She smiled. "Then let's go pick up some groceries first." She looked at him. "It's a good thing you've got lots of Earth clothes - you will fit right in." She smiled at him, thinking that he looked really great in the jeans and t-shirt he was wearing. He ass was almost begging to be grabbed!

"Could we buy some wine as well?"

"Yes, absolutely!"

* * *

They bought food and wine, then stopped at a rental store to rent a couple movies.

"What would you like to watch?" Sam asked.

Lantash grinned, holding up a movie. "I found one with Martouf in, and I'd very much like to watch that, but Martouf absolutely refuses!"

Sam laughed. "You know, I think I'd like to watch that!" He eyes twinkled and she gave Lantash a hug. "But not if it bothers Martouf."

* * *

They had picked two movies - one that they all thought might be fun, and the movie with Martouf, which only Sam and Lantash wanted to watch.

Arriving back at Sam's house, Martouf and Lantash went to explore the place while Sam put the food in the refrigerator, and also the white wine they had bought. She then found some snacks and poured into bowls, before bringing them to the living room and putting them down on the small table by her couch. She then went to fetch the red wine they had bought as well, and a couple glasses.

"Martouf - would you mind opening the wine and putting one of the movies on? I thought I would take a very quick shower and change into civilian clothing as well."

"Of course, Samantha." He smiled at her.

* * *

Sam had bathed and after thinking it over, she had put on the black lingerie she had gotten as a birthday gift from Janet. She hadn't worn it before, since it was not really something she usually wore.

She looked at herself in the mirror. She hoped Martouf and Lantash would like it - if this evening developed like she hoped. Even if it was not something the Tok'ra wore - as far as she knew. Of course, they had been on Earth for some time, and should know of this side of the Tau'ri, even if Martouf had not mentioned having had any girlfriends while here.

Suddenly she worried that he had someone else, but quickly pushed the thought away. He had made his interest clear, even while he thought he was JR Bourne.

Sam went to look in her closet, to try and find something suitable to wear. Unfortunately, she rarely dressed up, and couldn't remember the last time she had been on a date, so the choices were limited.

Jeans and shirt? No, while the jeans hugged her butt nicely, she didn't feel that would be the right clothes for tonight. Some sort of dress would be better...

She looked over the options, then spotted the red dress with spaghetti straps she had bought for a party she had ended up not going to. It had a fairly deep cleavage and a sexy slit along the left leg, up to her mid-thigh. It was sexy, but without going into slutty. She quickly put it on, and then added a thin black belt, and a pair of black shoes with medium high heels.

Sam studied herself in the mirror for a moment, considering whether the dress was too revealing - or at least too fancy for an evening at home. Then her telephone rang, and she went to pick it up.

"Hello? This is Major Samantha Carter."

* * *

She hung up just as Martouf entered the room, he stopped and looked at her, clearly approving of what he saw.

"It was my dad. He wanted to tell me that the raid on the traitors on the Tok'ra base was a success, and that they had all suspects locked up and being examined and interrogated..." She stopped and looked at him. He was still staring at her, his mouth a little agape. She saw his gaze move from her feet, to her head, then over her body again. "Martouf? Are you even listening?"

"What?" He shook himself. "Sorry, Samantha. You are  _beautiful_!"

"Thanks, but I was telling you that Jacob just called!"

Martouf's cheeks flushed a light red, and he bowed his head, giving Lantash control.

" **We both apologize, Samantha. We did hear you, but we were momentarily, ah, distracted. You look very lovely.** " His gaze again moved over her, and he took several steps closer. Standing just in front of her, he took her hand. " **Samantha...** " he sighed. " **It pleases us greatly to hear that the traitors and those unfortunate people who have been brainwashed, have been captured. Hopefully, if anyone has been compromised on this world, they will be apprehended as well. What about the two Goa'uld?** "

"Nothing about them yet, but police and border authorities have been told to be on the lookout for them. If they see them, they are to do nothing, but just report it."

Lantash nodded. " **Good. They probably have or can get dangerous weapons, maybe even poisonous gasses, and could kill a lot of people if they feel threatened. Also, if they realize their appearance is known, they may change hosts.** "

"Of course! I hadn't thought of that - but I'm guessing Selmak has, so I'm sure they're being careful."

" **Most likely.** " Lantash agreed. He grabbed her other hand, and entwined his fingers with hers, as he pulled her to him, smiling. " **Now, however, there are other things I would much rather think about.** " He leaned in and captured her lips with his, moving them softly against her.

Sam threw her arms around him and kissed him back, feeling happier than she could remember doing in a very long time.

Lantash deepened the kiss, and slid a hand down her back, caressing her. Sam could feel he was getting aroused, his shaft hardening rapidly between them.

When they broke for air, Sam was feeling dizzy - whether from lack of air, the intensity of the kiss, or both, she didn't know. "Perhaps... perhaps we should go eat some of those snacks I put out on the table in the living room?"

" **Later. There is something else I hunger for more right now.** " Lantash said, kissing her again. He looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. " **You would not have dressed like this if you did not want me as well.** " He took her hands again, and pulled her back towards the bedroom she had just stepped out from.

Sam smiled, blushing a little. "Very true. I was  _hoping_  you would like my dress. Hoping you would react like this, I guess."

" **Oh, I like your dress. Very much, though I would like even better if you were not wearing it.** " He kissed her again, and Sam reciprocated, happily following him into her bedroom.

There might be a number of things they still needed to solve before all was well, and the conspiracy against the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri were gone, but right now Sam felt very confident they would succeed. Right now, she would not think of that - she would focus only on Martouf and Lantash, and the pleasure that was awaiting them. Together.


End file.
